Foodism - 18 - Toronto, food and drink

T O R O N T O , O N E B I T E AT A T I M E

It’s More Than Just a Drink The appeal of bourbon goes far beyond the glass in Kentucky. It’s part of our history. Our culture. Our future.

It’s a way of life you can see, smell, sip and savor at distillery tours and tasting rooms.

It’s a distinct ingredient that flavors signature dishes and cocktails in restaurants and bars. In fact, you can taste its influence in every aspect of Kentucky’s culinary scene – from gourmet coffee aged in bourbon barrels to decadent chocolate-covered bourbon cream balls invented right here in the Bluegrass State.

So as you’re sipping a classic Mint Julep, savoring every nuance in its icy silver cup, you’re enjoying much more than just a drink. You’re experiencing a true taste of Kentucky hundreds of years in the making.

Explore Kentucky’s bourbon culture at KentuckyTourism.com.

KentuckyTourism.com

Inspired by trips to the Côte d’Azur and the shores of Pampelonne beach, Parisian designers Maison Labiche have created the GREY GOOSE® Limited Edition Riviera Series bottle. The design is a tribute to the special moments that summer has to offer. Available for a limited time at select LCBO locations.

From the shores of France to the patios of Canada, enjoy these easy-to-make twists on a vodka soda:

LAVENDER PRESSÉ 1 oz GREY GOOSE® Le Citron Vodka 0.5 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp fine granulated white sugar (or omit — to taste) 2.5 oz soda water (we recommend Perrier) Fill glass 2/3 full with ice, pour ingredients over and stir.

Garnish with fresh lavender and a wedge of fresh lemon.

LE GR AND FIZZ A LA RUSSE 1 oz GREY GOOSE® Vodka 0.5 oz peach liqueur 0.5 oz fresh grapefruit juice 2 oz premium tonic water Thyme Grapefruit wedge Combine all ingredients except the tonic water over cubed ice in a large wine glass.

Stir and top with tonic.

Garnish with grapefruit wedge and sprig of thyme for added flavour.

SUMMER SQUEEZE 1 oz GREY GOOSE® Vodka 1 wedge of blood orange squeezed 1.25 oz soda water (we recommend Perrier) Fill glass 2/3 full with ice, pour ingredients over and stir.

Garnish with fresh blood orange wedge and fresh cherries for a burst of colour.

Visit greygoose.com for more cocktail ideas perfect for celebrating moments big and small this summer.

SIP RESPONSIBLY. ©2019 GREY GOOSE, ITS TRADE DRESS, THE GEESE DEVICE AND LIVE VICTORIOUSLY ARE TRADEMARKS. IMPORTED BY GREY GOOSE IMPORTING COMPANY, CORAL GABLES, FL. VODKA - 40% ALC. BY VOL. DISTILLED FROM FRENCH WHEAT.

LI V E LI K E S UM M E R N E V E R E N DS

ELEVATE YOUR CHEESEBURGER Bring your burger to the next level with the distinct flavour and satisfying texture of Jarlsberg®

• ENTER NOW •

THE JARLSBERG BURGER

RECIPE CONTEST Share a photo and description of your best Jarlsberg burger for your chance to win a WEBER Spirit II gas grill, or one of 12 Jarlsberg BBQ kits! Contest ends August 30, 2019. Get contest details and enter at jarlsberg.com

Photography: Ian Dingle Art Direction: April Tran, Matthew Hasteley

EDITORIAL PUBLISHER

Krista Faist EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Suresh Doss

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Jessica Huras STAFF WRITER

Katie Bridges

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Taylor Newlands COPY EDITOR

David Ort

EDITORIAL INTERN

Claire Plant

CONTRIBUTORS

Corey Mintz

DESIGN ART DIRECTOR

Matthew Hasteley SENIOR DESIGNER

April Tran

STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHER

Kailee Mandel PHOTOGRAPHY

Sandro Pehar Jeffrey Chan Sarah Pflug Christie Vuong Ted Chai PRINTING

Solisco

CEO

Krista Faist ADVERTISING MANAGER

David Horvatin ADVERTISING

Nick Valsamis Spencer Reynolds MARKETING & PARTNERSHIPS COORDINATOR

Emily Buck

LEAD DEVELOPER

AJ Cerqueti CHAIRMAN

Tim Slee

I

n my career as a food writer, I’ve had the privilege of standing in dozens of kitchens in different cities across the world.

In many instances, the scene is hot and chaotic; clanging pans and short bursts of chatter from the order printer provide the soundtrack – that part is common.

But what sets Toronto kitchens apart from those in other cities?

What makes their teams truly remarkable? Diversity.

Recently, I visited the kitchen at United Bakers Dairy Restaurant, the 107-year-old, Jewish-style diner. Its current owner, Philip Ladovsky said that the lunch rush was coming to an end, but the pace in the kitchen was still frenetic. An armada of cooks hurried out the final few plates of latkes and bowls of pea soup.

As I looked around, I noticed that no two cooks look alike. “We have a Romanian, Israeli, Ethiopian, Sri Lankan, Somalian, Filipino, Egyptian, Syrian,” says Ladovsky. Pointing from garde manger to line cook to the dishwasher: “We are united!” he exclaimed.

Only in a city like Toronto would you see a team this diverse.

In this International Issue, we celebrate the unique mosaic of Toronto faces through a culinary lens.

We’ve long known that chefs can be the best food guides to a city, so Katie Bridges interviews a brigade of Toronto’s best to see where they eat late at night (pg. 36). For our guest column (pg. 33), Suzanne Barr has a look at authenticity and cultural appropriation in restaurants. And our Weapons department has what you’ll you need to cook more international dishes at home.

Summer is peak travel season and we take you to eat in coastal Spain (pg. 49) and glitzy Dubai (pg. 70).

We hope this issue will continue to inspire your summer eating. f

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Suresh Doss Editor-at-Large foodismto

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© Foodism Toronto 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. All information contained in this magazine is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Foodism Toronto cannot accept responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Foodism Toronto a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine. All material is sent at your own risk and although every care is taken, neither Foodism Toronto nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be held liable resulting for loss or damage. Foodism Toronto endeavours to respect the intellectual property of the owners of copyrighted material reproduced herein. If you identify yourself as the copyright holder of material we have wrongly attributed, please contact the office.

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Southwest Chipotle Power Bowl Get all the things you crave in this delicious "beyond salad" power bowl with the added kick of the chipotle cream to spice things up.

NOTHING SAYS SUMMER LIKE SALAD The Mulder Family,

Egg Farmers, Chatsworth, ON

Ingredients 2 tbsp (30 mL) 1 tbsp (15 mL) 1 tsp (5 mL) 1 tsp (5 mL) ½ tsp (2 mL) ¼ tsp (1 mL) 1 cup (250 mL) ½ cup (125 mL) 1 tbsp (15 mL) 1 cup (250 mL) 1 cup (250 mL) ½ cup (125 mL) 2 ½ cup (125 mL) 8 Chipotle Cream: ½ cup (125 mL) ¼ cup (60 mL) ⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) 1 tbsp (15 mL) 2 tbsp (30 mL)

Servings: Prep Time:

4 40 minutes

apple cider vinegar olive oil chili powder brown sugar paprika each salt and pepper grated carrot each diced sweet red and yellow pepper finely chopped fresh cilantro cooked quinoa chopped purple kale drained and rinsed canned black beans green onions sliced grated Cheddar cheese eggs, hard-cooked, peeled and halved fresh cilantro leaves and lime wedges, (optional) chopped avocado plain Greek yogurt chipotle powder lime zest lime juice

Directions In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, chili powder, brown sugar, paprika, salt and pepper. Add carrots, red and yellow peppers and cilantro. Toss to combine; set aside to marinate.

Chipotle Cream: In small food processor, combine avocado, yogurt, chipotle powder, lime zest and juice; purée.

Divide quinoa, kale and black beans among 4 bowls. Top with marinated vegetables, green onion, cheese and eggs.

Serve with a dollop of chipotle cream. Garnish with cilantro leaves and lime wedges, if using.

Nutrients per serving (¼ recipe): 370 calories, 21 g total fat, 7 g saturated fat, 380 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrates, 5 g fibre, 24 g protein.

— PART 1 —

GRAZE “WE WANT TO OPEN UP THOSE INSPIRATIONS FOR PEOPLE SO THEY CAN USE UP THE SPICES THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE IN THEIR CUPBOARD” WHAT’S IN STORE, 016

010 THE FOODIST | 012 DAYTRIPPER | 014 THE RADAR | 016 WHAT’S IN STORE 018 WEAPONS OF CHOICE | 025 RECIPES | 033 SUZANNE BARR

1. STAT ION C OL D B R EW

THE FOODIST

Time to try some new tipples? Jessica Huras tells us how to get the most out of Ontario's alcohol selection.

W

HEN YOU GROW up in Ontario, it’s easy to assume that your beer, wine and liquor selection is limited to what’s on the shelves of your local LCBO. So if you’re keen to open a few new bottles and expand your palate, you may not realize that your options go well beyond the aisles of government-picked booze.

Most of us are already embracing Ontario’s breweries and wineries – and the opportunity to buy directly from these local producers – but many people overlook our homegrown spirits producers. There are over 200 craft distilleries operating across Canada (and that number is rapidly growing), producing creative, small-batch spirits that you can use to kick up your cocktails or savour straight up.

You don’t necessarily need to leave home to access these producers, either. Lots of local wineries, breweries and distilleries will ship their creations directly to you (within Ontario, anyway – things get complicated when shipping between provinces).

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When it comes to international booze, the LCBO is, of course, king. But, if you’re anything like me, you probably don’t take full advantage of the LCBO’s offerings. I’m sure I’m not alone in looking at the Vintages section and assuming that it would be stocked with rare, premium wines that I couldn’t really afford.

Vintages is essentially the LCBO’s limitedavailability wines and while some of them are certainly on the pricier side, you’ll find plenty of bottles priced under $20, too. The LCBO introduces over 125 new products into Vintages every two weeks, so it’s not hard to find something you’ve never tried before.

Also, you’re not stuck with what’s sold at your neighbourhood LCBO. You can order online and have products from other stores shipped to your home (for a fee) or to your local store (for free). There are diverse and amazing wines, beers and spirits from around the world and our own backyard. The next time you’re stocking up, skip your usual gotos and try something new. f

Billed as Canada’s first coffee brewery, Station infuses their ethically sourced beans in cold water for 18 hours before a double filtering and nitrogen infusion process. Their cold brew comes in cans, bottles and even kegs – for all the social bonuses of the water cooler but with caffeineinduced productivity.

In addition to the New Orleans-style original, Station also comes in coconut, mocha and vanilla flavours. stationcoldbrew.com

2. B RÜ ST This isn’t just any cold brew coffee – Brüst actually doubles as a protein drink. With the same amount of caffeine as your average cup of java and an added 20 grams of protein, this coffee drink will give you that extra kick you need to get through a day of yawn-inducing meetings or extra tiresome customers. It’s also great postworkout or to power through training sessions – if you’re into that sort of thing. brustbeverages.com

3. PIL OT C OF F E E R OAST E RS With black and organic lactose-free latte, there are two ways to enjoy Pilot Coffee Roasters’ cold brew. They might be better known for their coffee, but their cold brew can definitely keep up.

Brewed by a full immersion extraction to max out flavour, Pilot’s black cold brew is bold but creamy (from a nitro infusion). And the petite cans are perfect for taking on the go. pilotcoffee roasters.com

Photography: Bar by Chuttersnap

COLD CUP OF JOE

These producers have put their delicious, energizing cold-brew creations into single-size servings.

CÔTES DE PROVENCE COTEAUX D’AIX-EN-PROVENCE COTEAUX VAROIS EN PROVENCE

AT T H E H E A R T O F C A N A D I A N S’ GOURMET LIFESTYLE

VinsWinesProvenceCA VinsProvenceCa

DAY TRIPPER St. Catharines is one of the best places to eat and drink in the Niagara region.

What's the vibe?

Despite being the biggest city in the region, the Garden City maintains the kind of charm you'd expect from smaller towns. The city is surrounded by parks and sits in the middle of Ontario’s most prominent wine regions: Niagaraon-the-Lake and Twenty Valley. With the opening of the Meridian Centre, downtown has boomed and new restaurateurs are pushing forward.

GRUB TROTTING

A handful of internationally focused restaurants have opened to complement Niagara's farm-to-table standbys. Expect remixed takes on Middle Eastern street food and regional Chinese food.

1 Dispatch The team from El Gastro, one of Ontario's bestloved food trucks, has opened a global-themed restaurant with accents from Australia, the Middle East, and Asia. Go for mezes or a tasting-menu experience. dispatch restaurant.com

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While there’s plenty to eat in downtown St. Catharines, the city is practically a stone’s throw from some of the best wines in the region. At the edge of the city, you’ll find 13th Street Winery, known for its crisp sparkling options and cool-climate chardonnays. Henry of Pelham was one of the first vineyards in the region, and today specializes in making bold, red blends.

The drive to St. Catharines will take about an hour and a half from downtown. If you're starting from midtown, you might want to consider the 407. There are a few options, especially on weekends, for taking the GO train to St. Kitts. The express trains take between one and a half to two hours, but some options involve a switchover in Oakville or Burlington. f

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2 06 Chengdu Noodles Steps away from the downtown strip, you’ll find some excellent Sichuanese cuisine. Everything is made in house, from the stuffed dumplings to the noodles soaked in an umami-rich, braised-beef broth. @06Chengdu Noodles

2

HOMER HAUNTS

For your first visit, eat like a local.

Get acquainted with St. Catharines institutions that have become staple spots in the city. Here are two featuring the down-home duo of craft beer and small-batch doughnuts.

Don't miss

Getting there

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3 Merchant Ale House Opened in the late 90s to produce seasonal, craft brews with local ingredients, this standby has resisted gentrification. Get the local-favourite blueberry wheat ale and the musttry chicken wings. merchant alehouse.com

4 Beechwood Doughnuts Lines are a regular sight at this new wave, vegan bakery on St. Paul.

Classics like maple dip join more elaborately dressed doughnuts like mango passionfruit and strawberrykey-lime on the 24-option menu. beechwood doughnuts.com

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FOLLOW

FOODISMTO

THE RADAR Grab globetrotting grub from one of these hot, new entrants to Toronto's dining scene.

C LAY Located on the third floor of the Gardiner Museum, this latest offering from the Food Dudes delivers a unique spin on traditional gallery fare. With an enhanced focus on locally sourced ingredients, chef Bianca Azupardo’s seasonal menu offers a simplified take on a selection of classic dishes, including a croque madame, ricotta gnudi and house-cured smoked salmon flatbread. Spacious dining quarters, with toned-down earthy hues and high ceilings contribute to the minimalist, undemanding atmosphere. Options for drinks include a seasonal sangria, cucumber rose gin and tonic or mimosas with fresh-pressed juice.

Since the patio is now officially open, you can sit back and nibble through a savoury lunch while taking in picturesque views of the ROM from across the street. clay.restaurant

PIQUET T E

SHOOK King West now has a source for fresh, flavourful Israeli cuisine – and it’s all vegetarian. Almost everything is cooked in a wood-burning, hearth oven or charcoal grill in the restaurant’s open kitchen, bringing a lovely, smoky element to the food (as well as the interior of the 78-seat space). There’s a full menu and takeout counter, but we’ll be going back for the herby cocktails, paired with snackable dips and fluffy pitas. shookkitchen.com

C RAZ Y C R E PE S Straight from Japan, this cutesy shop at Church and Gerrard serves a mega menu of crepes, from fruity to chocolatey and even savoury. Popular as a street food in Japan, these crepes are rolled up (think ice cream cone shape) for easy eating on the go. If you’re feeling adventurous go for Crazy Crepes’ cheesy volcano – it’s stuffed with cream cheese, a whole slice of cheesecake and spicy Cheetos, then topped with Cheeto powder and grated cheese. crazycrepescanada.com

C HOT TO M AT T E Over a year after announcing its arrival, the long-anticipated Toronto outpost of Chotto Matte finally opened its doors on Bay this summer. With already established locations in London and Miami, the chain specializes in Nikkei cuisine – a combination of Japanese and Peruvian fare. The fusion menu is laden with familiar sounding dishes that have an unexpected twist, like tuna sashimi tostaditas and gyoza stuffed with pork, shrimp, sweet potato puree and red pepper ponzu. chotto-matte.com

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From three Bar Isabel alumni (Ellen Shrybman, Nathan Morrell and Grant van Gameren) comes a new wine bar that highlights vino from small international producers. Offering shareable plates to divide among friends, the casual venue at Queen West and Dovercourt will be open every day for lunch, dinner and late evening snacking on a walk-in-only basis. @barpiquette

AT OR I G I N C OF F EE This fair-trade coffee chain, with shops in Istanbul and Frankfurt, is opening their first ever location in North America. Known for sourcing African, unblended coffee beans, this premium roaster’s new café will bring At Origin’s single-origin brew to caffeine enthusiasts in Toronto’s Midtown.

The menu covers cold brew, finely ground Turkish coffee and three choices of pourover methods. atorigin.coffee

AK IM ITS U In connection with the new downtown location of Konjiki Ramen, awardwinning Japanese restaurant Akimitsu has opened in Toronto.

Crispy vegetable and shrimp tempura takes centre stage at this specialty spot, whether on its own or in a bowl of donburi, dressed with their house-made sauce and topped with a soft-poached egg. @akimitsu_canada

flavour BEGINS HERE

WHAT DOES NIAGARA TASTE LIKE? At Niagara Parks, a 133-year-old agency of the province of Ontario, we are committed to preserving and presenting the wonders of Niagara for the enjoyment of the world. From our inspiring natural wonders — the falls themselves — and engaging heritage sites, to our breathtaking and reflective horticultural spaces, presenting experiences that invoke and excite your senses is what we do.

All senses.

Across the past number of years, our Niagara Parks Culinary team has explored how to truly present the tastes of Ontario and Niagara to the world.

The answer was easy, look local.

Working with the Culinary Tourism Alliance under their Feast On certification program, our services and all of our five full-service restaurants, from the epic Table Rock House Restaurant to the serene Queenston Heights Restaurant, feature a mandated minimum 25% food and beverage sourced from local Ontario growers, producers, and providers.

In fact, Niagara Parks Culinary features up to 60% locally sourced food, and nearly 100% beverages. And we don’t stop there, even the talented cooks and chefs in our kitchens are locally sourced. The Niagara Parks Apprenticeship Training Program, in association with Niagara College, is one of the largest of its kind in Canada.

From amazing Ontario orchards to the delicious dairies, from VQA wines to Ontario’s fast-growing craft beer and spirits scene, Niagara Parks is committed to supporting the many growers, producers and craftspeople that make up Ontario’s unique taste of place. And with five full-service restaurants and a slate of spectacular events to choose from, you’ll know your meal will be just as unique as the land where it’s grown.

To learn more about Niagara Parks Culinary, our restaurants, and our highly anticipated Pop-Up Dinner series, visit niagaraparks.com/culinary

PANTRY RAID

Olive Oil

WHAT’S IN STORE

Jessica Huras heads to the Spice Trader to find out what sets their tins apart from grocery store jars.

A

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spices are not more expensive,” she says.

Although many customers come to the Spice Trader for hard-to-find ingredients, Johnston says that some of the shop’s biggest sellers are actually everyday herbs. “The quality of ours are just better than what you’re going to get in the grocery store,” she says, and experiencing that difference in taste transforms first-time buyers into repeat customers stocking their entire pantry.

Johnston aims to introduce customers to new spices, but also to teach customers how to use familiar spices better. To that end, the Spice Trader hosts regular classes and tasting workshops, plus they’re introducing a new subscription box service this summer.

Johnston says many customers struggle to use up spices after buying them for a single recipe, so she hopes the spices and recipe suggestions featured in these subscription boxes will help spark new ideas. “We want to open up those inspirations for people so they can use up the spices that they already have in their cupboard,” says Johnston. f

Vinegar On the acidic side, the Spice Trader carries a mix of standards and more uncommon offerings. Along with the usual balsamics, you’ll find riesling, muscat and organic sherry balsamic vinegars. Johnston and her team can help you figure out how to incorporate these distinctive vinegars into recipes.

Spice Blends In addition to straight spices, the Spice Trader features a variety of pre-mixed spice blends ranging from a Britishinspired baking spice to an Argentinian chimichurri dry rub. The shop’s blending classes introduce participants to the principles of combining spices so they can create their own mixes.

Photography: April Tran

LLISON JOHNSTON WAS inspired by European speciality stores when she opened the Spice Trader, a west-end shop known for its imported spices, dried herbs and olive oils. With its dark cabinets, copper accents and mural of Istanbul splashed across one wall, the Spice Trader visually captures this Old World vibe. The shop feels a bit like an apothecary, but one that dispenses culinary cure-alls rather than traditional medicine. Johnston’s partner, Neil Bougourd, is responsible for sourcing all of their herbs and spices and personally inspecting every delivery as it arrives. Their wares are free of salt, fillers, sugar and other “garbage,” according to Johnston. “That’s really our strength and why people like our spices,” she says. “[Neil] is very picky about all the different suppliers he deals with.”

Johnston says that one of the biggest misconceptions consumers have about spices is that high-quality also means highpriced. “When I look at what they’re actually charging per gram at [grocery stores], my

The Spice Trader carries an extensive collection of olive oils, many of which you can’t find elsewhere in the city. In addition to traditional olive oil, they also have more unusual, flavoured olive oils, like lemon and orange. Customers can sample options at tasting evenings.

WEAPONS OF CHOICE Stamp your culinary passport from your own kitchen with these traditional tools.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAILEE MANDEL STYLING BY APRIL TRAN

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G R IL L SE R G E ANT SHICHIRIN TABLE TOP BBQ

Master Korean- and Japanese-style grilling at home with this specialty, tabletop BBQ. Designed to be used outside with charcoal, this stripped-down tool will give your meat, fish and veggies a satisfying char. $150, knifetoronto.com

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M OR OC-R OC K E RY EMILE HENRY CERAMIC STOVETOP LARGE TAGINE

This culinary quadruple threat is made from flameproof ceramic, making it suitable for stovetop, microwave, oven and grill use. Like a Dutch oven, it cooks food gently, producing savoury soups, roasts and rice dishes. $295, williams-sonoma.ca

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DR E SSE D TO IM-PR E SS CAST-IRON TORTILLA PRESS

Feed your Mexican food obsession with this cast iron tortilla press. The traditional tool of Mexican cooks, the heavy plates flatten your dough evenly, so your tortillas are perfectly primed for the griddle. $44.95, williams-sonoma.ca

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M E LT DOW N STAUB CAST IRON FONDUE SET

Make dipping things in melted cheese and chocolate feel fancy with this fondue set. The cast iron pot has enough room to feed six to eight people and it’s designed to keep your melted deliciousness warm while you nibble. $350.00, zwilling.ca

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S PANI SH INQ UI-K ITCHE N WILLIAMS SONOMA PAELLA PAN

Hone your paella prowess with the help of this paellera, made in Valencia, Spain (the birthplace of paella). Modelled after traditional Valencian pans, this piece of cookware features dimples in the base to help evenly heat your ingredients. $44.95, williams-sonoma.ca

MA D SK ILLZ-ET STAUB 13" CHERRY DOUBLE-HANDLE CAST IRON SKILLET

This cast iron skillet offers another option for perfecting your paella. Aside from the Spanish specialty, this versatile pan is also great for frying up meat cutlets, fish and vegetables, or slow cooking in the oven. $300.00, zwilling.ca

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Recipes

FOUR DISHES OF THE EARTH From Bangkok to Baghdad, these two cookbooks by Sarin Rojanametin, Jean Thamthanakorn and Anissa Helou will transport you to a faraway land.

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COOKBOOK CAN BE a portal, a time machine, a convex lens into a faraway place through the prism of food. With the right book, you can find perspectives that would otherwise be foreign, and expand your understanding of how other people eat – for enjoyment and not just for sustenance.

For our International Issue, we’ve chosen two books that swept us off our feet from the moment we flipped through the first pages.

In Feast: Food of the Islamic world ($54.27, amazon.ca), acclaimed food writer Anissa Helou has managed to show the impact Islamic culture has had on the culinary

world through the ages. The stories behind the recipes add historical context for this cookbook that won her a James Beard International Cookbook Award.

Authors Sarin Rojanametin and Jean Thamthanakorn take us on a deep-dive into the bustling streets of one of Southeast Asia’s most important food cities. The beauty of Bangkok Local: Cult recipes from the streets that make the city ($23.33, amazon.ca) is that it covers many lesser-known Thai dishes that make Bangkok one of the most famous street food cities in the world. The food is equal parts vibrant and spicy. Enjoy the trip. f

FOLLOW

FOODISMTO

F O O DISM RE CIPE S, IN ASSOC IAT ION W IT H RU F F INO Ruffino, one of the world’s best-known and well-trusted names in Italian winemaking, has been making high quality wines for the past 140 years. It all began in 1877, when cousins Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino established a small winery near Florence, committing to building upon the region’s centuries-old reputation for growing

exceptional grapes. Today, Ruffino continues to express the history and heritage of Italy with every bottle released from their top estates in Tuscany. Yet, despite being steeped in tradition, their wines are modern and approachable. Tuscan wines might be known for their bold reds, but Ruffino's collection can be paired with everyday cuisine.

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Jean Thamthanakorn & Sarin Rojanametin's

PRAWN NOODLES

Head-on prawns are the star of this light and flavourful noodle dish that makes for an easy lunch.

ING R E DIE NTS ◆◆ 3½ oz dried glass noodles ◆◆ 1 Tbsp oyster sauce ◆◆ 2 Tbsp soy sauce

◆◆ 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce ◆◆ 2 tsp superfine sugar ◆◆ 1 tsp sesame oil

◆◆ 1 tsp ground white pepper ◆◆ 2 Tbsp shaoxing rice wine ◆◆ 1 tsp whole black

peppercorns

◆◆ 3 Tbsp vegetable oil

◆◆ 3½ oz pork belly, cut into 10

slices

◆◆ 1 whole small young ginger

Method

1 Fill a large bowl with cold water and soak the glass noodles until they have softened. Drain in a colander and set aside.

2 Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauces, caster sugar, sesame oil, white pepper, shaoxing rice wine and ½ cup water in a mixing bowl. Add the glass noodles and mix thoroughly until evenly coated. Set aside to marinate.

3 In a mortar and pestle, pound the black peppercorns into a fine powder and set aside.

4 Coat the bottom of a wok or a large saucepan with the vegetable oil.

Evenly layer the pork belly slices along the bottom, then place the ginger slices on top, followed by the prawns.

Sprinkle with the pounded black pepper and pour the glass noodles and marinade over the top. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and steam for 7 minutes.

5 Add the spring onion and celery, cover and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Serve immediately in the cooking vessel or transfer to a serving plate. f

PAIR THIS

Ruffino Modus

Break the rules and pair seafood with this energetic blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet – sure to become your go-to red.

LCBO #912956

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root, cut into 5 pieces

◆◆ 7 oz tiger prawns, cleaned

◆◆ 5 spring onions, cut into 2 in

lengths

◆◆ 2 Chinese celery stalks, cut

into 2 in lengths

Jean Thamthanakorn & Sarin Rojanametin's

CRISPY PORK

Indulgent pork belly gets a light-footed dance partner in stir-fried and spicy Chinese broccoli.

Method

1 Prepare the pork a day or two in advance. Using a sharp knife, score lines into the skin a ¼-inch apart, taking care not to cut into the meat.

Place the pork on a piece of foil and fold the edges of the foil up around the meat, but not the skin. Transfer to the refrigerator and let the exposed skin air-dry for 1–2 days.

2 On the day of serving, preheat the oven to 430 F. Place the pork and the foil on a baking tray, sprinkle the pork skin with the salt and roast for 25–30 minutes, until the skin is crisp and golden and the meat is just cooked

through. Remove from the oven and allow to rest, uncovered, for a minimum of 15 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Sauté the garlic and chillies until fragrant. Add the Chinese broccoli and shiitake mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Season with the oyster sauce, soy sauce and fish sauce and stir-fry for a further 2–3 minutes.

Stir through the white pepper and remove from the heat.

4 Transfer the Chinese broccoli to a plate. Slice the pork belly and arrange on top of the Chinese broccoli. Serve with steamed jasmine rice. f

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Raise those veggies through the roof with this punchy red. Plum notes, white pepper finish.

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ING R E DIE NTS ◆◆ 14 oz pork belly

◆◆ 1 Tbsp fine sea salt

◆◆ ⅓ cup vegetable oil

◆◆ 4 garlic cloves, chopped

◆◆ 3 red bird’s eye chillies, sliced ◆◆ 2 bunches Chinese broccoli,

finely sliced on the diagonal

◆◆ 3½ oz shiitake mushrooms,

cut into ¼-inch slices

◆◆ 1 Tbsp oyster sauce ◆◆ 1 Tbsp soy sauce

◆◆ 1½ Tbsp fish sauce

◆◆ 1 tsp ground white pepper ◆◆ Steamed jasmine rice

Photography: Alana Dimou

27

Anissa Helou’s

LAMB TAGINE

Get set for cooler evenings with this one-pot tagine featuring hearty lamb shanks. Fancier tagines can be used as a serving plate as well as a cooking vessel.

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ING R E DIE NTS ◆◆ 4 lamb shanks

◆◆ 2 medium onions, cut in half,

thinly sliced into wedges

◆◆ 2 cloves garlic, peeled, finely

chopped

◆◆ 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil ◆◆ A good pinch saffron threads ◆◆ 1/2 tsp ground cumin

◆◆ 1/2 tsp ground ginger

◆◆ 1/2 tsp finely ground black

pepper

◆◆ 1 tsp paprika ◆◆ Sea salt to taste

◆◆ 2 oz flat-leaf parsley, most of

the bottom stalks discarded, finely chopped ◆◆ 1/4 bunch cilantro, most of the bottom stalks discarded, finely chopped ◆◆ 1 lb new potatoes, left whole if very small or cut in half ◆◆ 9 oz fresh or frozen petits pois

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Ruffino Greppone Mazzi Brunello di Montalcino Photography: Kristin Perers

A hearty dish needs a structured wine to match; this powerful red is just the ticket.

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Method

1 Put the shanks, onion, garlic and seasonings in a large pot, barely cover with water (about 1 litre) and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook covered for 1 hour, or until the meat is tender. Turn the meat into the sauce after 30 minutes, then again after 15 minutes and again before adding the potatoes and peas.

They should cook within the hour but check for tenderness before adding the vegetables, and, if need be, extend the cooking time by 15 to 30 minutes, adding a little more water.

2 While the meat is cooking, prepare the potatoes and herbs and if you are

using frozen peas defrost them by plunging them in boiling water.

3 When the meat is ready, add the herbs (reserving a little cilantro for garnish) and potatoes, and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are just done. Then add the peas and cook, with the pan uncovered for another few minutes until the peas are done.

Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. If the sauce is still runny, uncover the pan and let it bubble hard until the sauce has thickened.

Transfer the meat and vegetables to a serving dish. Garnish with cilantro and serve very hot with good bread. f

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Anissa Helou’s

PAKISTANI/ INDIAN ICE CREAM

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Ruffino Modus

Pair all that nut and spice with this fullbodied red, boasting silky tannins, lined with flavours of ripe blackberry and vanilla.

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These pops do a delicious job of combining comforting and warm flavours with a cool, icy experience and a smooth, creamy texture.

Method

1 Put the saffron to steep in 2 tablespoons of milk.

2 Put the rest of the milk in a pot and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then add the cream. Reduce the heat to low and let the milk and cream bubble gently, stirring very regularly so as not to let the bottom burn, until reduced by half.

3 Add the sugar and slivered nuts and mix well. Let bubble for 5 minutes, then take off the heat and add the cardamom. Let cool completely before ladling into kulfi molds and freezing for 4 to 5 hours.

Halfway through, insert a bamboo stick into each kulfi. To take the kulfi out of the molds, plunge in hot water.

Garnish with slivered pistachios. f

I N GREDI EN TS ◆◆ Pinch saffron threads ◆◆ 1 litre whole milk

◆◆ 1/4 cup crème fraiche or

mawa/khoya

◆◆ 1 Tbsp slivered pistachios,

plus extra for garnish

◆◆ 1 Tbsp slivered almonds

◆◆ 4 green cardamom pods,

shell discarded, seeds coarsely ground

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Photography: Kristin Perers

◆◆ 1/2 cup raw cane sugar

A MODERN WINE born from Tuscan tradition

MODUS SUPER TUSCAN

90 POINTS Modus 2015 • Wine Spectator O C TO B E R 3 1 , 2 01 8

Please enjoy our wines responsibly. © 2019 Ruffino Import Company, Rutherford, CA

DOES THE INTENTION FEEL AUTHENTIC TO YOU?

CULTURE TALK

Suzanne Barr, co-owner and chef at True True Diner, on how culinary authenticity comes from respect.

On cultural appropriation in cooking I think that cultural appropriation takes a look at whether people are respectful, mindful and are showing gratitude and dignity towards the cuisine they are preparing, and how they offer that to their customers. It’s an opportunity for a restaurant, restaurateur, chef, cook or anyone to create something with the understanding of the potential struggle, commitment, dedication, passion, love and soul, and present that food in a way that’s in line with how it should be represented.

It’s happening quite often. We see people from different cultural backgrounds making dishes that are not native to them. That’s beautiful when it’s done in a respectful manner – and, I think, it’s a missed opportunity when it’s done disrespectfully.

All we have sometimes, for some people,

is our food, our culture, our native tongue and our native food. I think it’s important to be able to respect and to honour that.

On the diners’ experience It’s about looking in and finding a connection that you might have with that restaurant.

Does it personally feel authentic to you? Not authentic in the sense that you are feeling “this is true Indian food”, but authentic in their intention. Is their intention authentic?

Are they just using a fad and running with it?

Ask questions to the servers. They’re the first point of contact. The information that they have will let you know how engaged management is in educating their team.

On staying authentic It needs to be based on a lot of respect.

The approach to it has to come from a very

clear place. It can’t come from a place of insecurity, insensitivity or negativity. It has to come from a place of feeling connected and feeling respected. Because when you miss that, then the result is someone who feels that they weren’t even considered.

With all of my cooking, when I’m making anything, it’s a process. This might sound cliché but I do pay homage to my ancestors.

I do little ceremonies within myself in reconnecting. I do a lot of research. I have a pretty extensive selection of cookbooks and I go back to these and look at old traditions.

I also go back to traditions that I remember from when I was growing up.

I always want to make sure that if I’m making something, I’m thinking about the people who made it first, how it impacted their lives, how it’s going to impact the people that I’m making it for now and how they’re going to enjoy the food. Intention is a big part of it. My intention is to make a wicked dish and sell it at a fair price based on the ingredients that I’ve used. I’ve done the work.

On Toronto’s food scene My feeling about the food scene in Toronto is that it’s really wicked. It’s exciting to be a part of it in this way ­– not that owning a restaurant or being a chef is the only way to experience the food scene. Just being aware of the cultures immigrants bring to this country is going to give us foresight into what we’re about to experience and what food is going to make statements in the city. Immigration is and will always be a core part of what makes this country what it is.

I think that recognizing the Indigenous people and understanding a lot more about indigenous food, indigenous crops and indigenous ways of food preparation is going to shift a lot. We’re going to see more of that in the coming conversations and new restaurants or dining experiences. f

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— PART 2 —

FEAST “WE DON’T CAST FOR EVIL, BUT IF YOU’RE A JERK, YOU’RE A JERK” TELLY OF THE BEAST, 042

036 THE LATE CHOW | 042 TELLY OF THE BEAST 049 NO SPAIN, NO GAIN | 054 GLASS CEYLON | 060 COCKTAIL HOUR

THE LATE CHOW After restaurants close, cooks and chefs pour into the streets in search of something to eat.

Katie Bridges finds out where they head for the best late-night bites.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SANDRO PEHAR

ABOVE: From the fulllength counter to the uniforms, Square Boy has all the trappings of a classic, late-night burger joint

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Photography: ###

37

W

HILE FOOD SEEMS to naturally taste more delicious at 2 a.m., there are plenty of spots in Toronto that truly excel at the art of nocturnal noshing. From Barcelona-inspired bites to seafood snacks, there’s a whole world of late-night eats that goes way beyond burgers (although there’s plenty of that too).

Who better to point us in the direction of Toronto’s finest after-hours snacks than the hospitality honchos? We asked the city’s best cooks and cocktail slingers where they love to head for moonlight munching. Whether you need post-party carbs to soak up your sins, or a solid meal to refuel after burning the midnight oil, we’ve got something for night owls to hoot about.

Jesse Vallins, Maple Leaf Tavern

Both of my picks for late-night eats are burger joints that have been around for decades. Square Boy at Jones and Danforth do a great homemade, diner-style bun.

There’s always a line-up, even late at 1 a.m., but if I’m in the neighbourhood and craving a burger, that’s where I’ll go. I first discovered Johnny’s Hamburgers in Scarborough when I was a teenager. If you grew up around

38

there and found yourself inebriated, you would definitely make a pit stop. They’re not gourmet burgers, but to me, it’s a mixture of consistency and nostalgia. Plus, it’s ridiculously cheap. I recently took a friend and even after we ordered banquet burgers, chocolate shakes and fries and gravy for two, the total only came to around $16.

Nicki Laborie, Bar Reyna

My top pick is 416 Snack Bar. The rustic and casual décor makes you feel like you’re at someone’s house. My favourite time to go is after 11 p.m. – there will usually

ABOVE: Bustling, crowded 416 Snack Bar serves chef favourite like their foie gras torchon to an industry-focused crowd

be a line up so you may have to wait, but the tasty plates will keep you there until close. Best item on the menu? The veggie steamed bun. So good! Bar Buca on King is another great spot that’s open late. I used to live around the corner, so if I was hungry at 11 p.m. or 12 p.m., that’s where I would go. One thing Bar Buca and 416 Snack Bar have in common is that everything is small.

Late-night eating is usually not that healthy so I loved being able to get dishes like their swordfish carpaccio without feeling bad.

Paula Navarrete, Kojin

I ALWAYS GET THE CLASSIC PHO BOWL WITH EVERYTHING ON IT

I’ve always loved soup, and when I lived in Kensington Market I discovered Pho Pasteur, which is open 24 hours. I always get the classic pho bowl but I get everything on it like rare beef with tendons. It’s cafeteria-style with fluorescent lighting and plastic tables, but the people there are so nice. I often head there after a drink at El Rey. Another place I love is Archive Wine Bar where you can find me most Saturday nights. They have great cheese and they used to do this amazing

TASTE OF CHINA HAS BEEN A MECCA FOR CHEFS FOR DECADES salad with mixed greens, grapes and olives.

Nuit Social on Queen West is another great option; a tiny little spot where I love to order a glass of wine and a big plate of olives.

Noureen Feerasta, Rickshaw Bar

I first stumbled across Hanmoto about two years ago after a long service when I was starving. Their salmon aburi is one of my favourite things to eat – I might grab a Jameson to go with it. I go here during the week because it’s open late every day. It’s usually busy, but it’s dark so I don’t have to worry about what I look like. Jerk King at Bloor and Dufferin is where I might go on the weekend because they’re open until 5 a.m.

This place is where I’ll end up when there’s no staff meal. The only thing I ever order is the jerk chicken with their spicy gravy.

has been a mecca for late-night, chef eats for decades. It was one of the first places I experienced live spot prawns as a young chef.

They also do a very thinly sliced geoduck.

Sometimes you’ll go in and have to ask for the specials but that traditional style of Chinese cooking always really inspires me. Plus, they have classics like General Tso chicken, so it’s the best of both worlds.

Nate Middleton, Petty Cash

Chinatown in Toronto has a few dim sum options but none that are open as late as Rol San, so you can get some whenever you’re craving it. I tend to order all the usual suspects – har gow, siu mai – plus some ribs and dumplings. I go to Bar Isabel about once every six months, it’s a great spot for refined gluttony. Everyone knows them for their

grilled octopus but often, when I visit with a bunch of chefs, there’s no menu and food just kind of falls in front of us. I had such a great dish the last time I was there, a salami with shaved foie gras on a crostini. I probably gained five pounds after eating one.

Guy Rawlings, Montgomery’s

My two favourite spots are Sakai Bar and Imanishi Japanese Kitchen – both of which I discovered shortly after they opened in my neighbourhood. I have a busy life with our restaurant and three little kids, so I’m happy to get there anytime I can. The nicest treat is when me and my wife finish a little earlier at work and sneak over before their last call (which doesn’t happen too often). I have a soft spot for Japanese food – I enjoy the simplicity. At Sakai Bar, I order →

Nick Liu, DaiLo

From the outside, Pinky’s Ca Phe looks like a house, but inside it’s a cool bar full of amazing vintage junk – it reminds me of Vietnam. The food touches on that second-generation, new Asian style.

Their beef dip meets bánh mì is such a clever dish. Then there’s the bone marrow with thinly cut beef wrapped around Thai style herbs like mint, basil and cilantro, with a sour, sweet and salty dressing. Taste of China

RIGHT: Bar Isabel stays busy late into the night as one of the coolest sit-down restaurants with dishes like grilled octopus and halibut ceviche

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ABOVE: Taste of China straddles the worlds of sweet-and-sour chicken balls (ABOVE RIGHT) and more traditional live spot prawns

→ the rice with cured egg yolk and lots of things on the side like burdock root and marinated vegetables. At Imanishi, the dried tile fish is one of my favourite things to eat in the city. We usually get some raw fish and lots of other snacks to pick over, the whole meal paired with sake and beer, of course.

Ivana Raca, Ufficio

My best friend brought me to Lim Ga Ne in North York for the first time and I thought it was amazing because finding good food at 4 a.m. can be impossible. I like the fact that it’s casual. You can see the kitchen and the walk-in fridge is in the front – places like that always remind me of street food in Asia. I’m a big fan of hotpot with braised brisket and seafood pancakes and this place hits the spot. My typical order involves all the garnishes: cold noodles, kimchi, radish, daikon, spicy pickled jalapeno. Getting all the condiments (banchan) at the beginning

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is my favourite part and they do it so well.

Normally, the little side bowls are empty before our food has even arrived. It’s a place I love to go to after a really long-ass day.

Scott Vivian, Beast

I do a guest series at the restaurant where we host chefs from around North America and what always impresses them is the great late-night eating scene in Toronto. Bar Raval is definitely number one on the list. I love hanging out around the

THE DRIED TILE FISH IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS TO EAT

communal wine barrels and ordering small plates. The canned seafood is exceptional and I always order the Kitchen Bread (piquillo peppers and white anchovies on sourdough).

Seoul Shakers is a late-night spot that’s very special to me because my ex chef de cuisine (Jason Poon) left to open that up. Leemo Han has a knack for design and the food is exactly what I want to eat at midnight. Their tacos off the spit are amazing and their bulgogi beef sliders are so addictive.

Alana Nogueda, Shameful Tiki

416 Snack Bar is a true late-night eats staple – they’ve been serving food until 2 a.m. for a long time.

It’s a comfortable, industry-heavy space that’s always busy. My girlfriend does a show at Cherry Cola just across the street and we typically end our Sunday night with their famous fried chicken, an eggplant parm sandwich or one of their rotating specials. Another great spot is Taste of China, which I first experienced about four years ago after a big event at Cold Tea. A big group of us will go and sit down at one of their humongous round tables. Then we’ll order far too much food to share – beef in black bean with broccoli is a good bet. f

ng

shopFOOD DISTIRCT.com/parki

ABOVE: As well as introducing Canadians to new cooking talent, we’ve also met new ingredients like octopus. Here it is slow cooked at R&D

42

TELLY OF THE BEAST

Photography: ###

Have cooking competition shows unfairly raised expectations? Or created a new class of talent?

Corey Mintz finds out where the balance lies.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY CHAN

43

LEFT: Winning the first season of MasterChef Canada helped Eric Chong jump permanently from a career as an engineer into the kitchen

A

FTER WINNING MASTERCHEF Canada, quitting his job and setting off on an international adventure, Eric Chong had just one problem. He couldn’t tell anyone what he was doing.

“The hardest part, for me, was keeping a secret from friends,” recalls the co-owner of R&D restaurant on Spadina.

Chong couldn’t get six weeks off work to compete, so he quit his engineering job.

While shooting, he was only allowed one phone call a week. He chose family instead of his girlfriend. They broke up.

After winning, one of the show’s judges, Alvin Leung, invited Chong to work in a Hong Kong restaurant, a prospect for the partnership that would become R&D. But for the seven months between the final episode and its broadcast, while travelling through Asia, embarking on a new career, cooking in restaurants for the first time, he was

44

contractually obligated to not reveal what had happened on the season finale.

“The show didn’t want me to say that I was in Asia with Alvin because that would spoil that I’d already won,” says Chong. “It was a huge part of my life that I couldn’t share.

Kind of like living in limbo.”

Despite the post-victory purgatory, it has been nothing but great for him.

“There would be no career to talk about if not for the show,” he laughs. “I would probably still be an engineer.”

Competition cooking shows like Top Chef, Chopped, MasterChef and Iron Chef (spawned from Japan, where the original ran during the 90s), have been a mainstay of American television since the mid-2000s.

They are all franchised internationally. From Vietnam to El Salvador, there are 24 regional Top Chef programmes. The Canadian version, launched in 2011, has so far produced seven seasons, with chefs from across the country

competing for a top prize of $100,000.

What impact have these shows had on their contestants, and the generation of young cooks for whom competing on television has always been a part of the culinary ecosystem?

Like Chong, Mary Berg does not miss her old career as an insurance broker. She was ready for a change, but it took a lot of convincing to get her to apply to MasterChef.

“I want to do my best in everything. But I’m not particularly competitive,” says Berg.

“I was always a participation-ribbon-getter. I was the kid who, during gym class, if we were playing sports, would sit down on the grass and pick clovers.”

Despite having to be pushed into the spotlight, the winner of MasterChef’s third season is a natural on camera. Berg now hosts her own show, Mary’s Kitchen Crush, where she shares home cooking recipes while chatting with guests. It’s a throwback to an earlier age of food on television, before competition shows successfully wedded the creativity of cooking with the rules, points and ticking clock of sports.

“For me, food has always been about sharing,” says Berg. “It’s very kindergarten in my mind. Sharing is caring. So food is the best way to do that.”

Not all former contestants feel that way.

“Every chef has an ego,” says Andrea Nicholson. “I don’t care what they say. We all have egos. We all have something to prove.”

Like a lot of chefs, Nicholson got an early start as a kitchen professional.

When she was 13, her parents caught a rare tropical bird, an Amazon parrot, in their Toronto backyard. Out for dinner at Rocco’s Plum Tomato, the chef came by to say hello to the local celebrities (the story of the bird had been featured in the Toronto Star), and asked their daughter what she wanted to do when she grew up. That Sunday, Nicholson was pounding veal cutlets for take-out sandwiches, and has been cooking professionally ever since.

From there she worked at high-end establishments Via Allegro and the 5th. Later, at Luce she took the owners to the labour board over wrongful dismissal (disclosure: I also cooked at Luce, though not at the same time, and once heard the owner boast that the number of people suing you is a

WHAT YOU SEE ON TV VS. A PRO KITCHEN IS EXTREMELY DIFFERENT measure of your success). After 13 years in the industry, Nicholson was tired of the boy’s club that she saw holding her back. No one needed to push her to apply as a contestant.

If anything, as an uber-fan of Top Chef, she was just waiting for the Canadian version.

Though she didn’t win, visibility on television enabled her to open her own restaurant, Butchie’s Damn Tasty Food in Whitby. And it’s led to an ongoing TV presence, as a judge on Fire Masters.

“It’s been amazing. It’s only propelled my career. It’s afforded me opportunities

that I wouldn’t have gotten in any other circumstances.”

Also, Nicholson sees the influence of these shows as a net gain for the restaurant industry. “It’s brought light to cooks and what we do, how hard we work to put food on the plate for people. It’s validated our craft. I think it’s glorified it at the same time.”

Carl Heinrich tips his hat to those, like Nicholson, who can transition from the kitchen to television. After winning season two of Top Chef Canada, he tried his hand at a career on camera.

“Hosting a TV show, that is tough work.

I did a show just after Top Chef, called Four Senses. I wasn’t a great host. I learned that that’s just not one of my strengths. It’s hard to be on camera, know how to throw to the camera, get your lines right, be a host, engage with people. That is a career. There are people who do that for a living and are good at it.”

Heinrich says that even if he didn’t win, he and partner Ryan Donovan were determined to open their restaurant, Richmond Station.

But it would have been a harder struggle and they’d have had to give up a bigger percentage to investors. The prize money and publicity radically changed that dynamic.

“We were going to open this restaurant no matter what. But because I won the show, it filled seats right away. And the money that I won gave me capital in my own business.

Because of those earnings, I could own my share of it.”

Chong, an avid food TV viewer, couldn’t keep watching these cooking shows after he saw how the sausage was made.

“What you see on TV, and literally working in a professional kitchen for one day, is extremely different,” says Chong, who went from no experience to running a restaurant.

“I think these shows do kind of mislead young generations, people who want to cook for a living. Some of the people I interview, new cooks from George Brown, they ask, how long is our break? It’s weird when they ask that, because, you don’t get a break. You work the whole day standing. I think a lot of the new cooks come in with that mentality.”

Heinrich sees it differently.

“There’s a common complaint from →

BELOW LEFT: Mary Berg won MasterChef Canada’s season 3 and that led to appearances on TV, including CTV’s Your Morning

45

→ friends of mine in this industry that you can’t find quality cooks anymore because they want to come out of school and run a kitchen. But the onus is on those chefs to mentor. To curate that young cook and to push them in a way that they can become the chef they want to become. And it’s up to us to make sure they know that they’re not ready for that yet. Because they’re not.”

Like Nicholson, Heinrich believes that these shows have helped the dining industry by raising standards across the board.

“Cooking shows are only a positive for this industry. The food that was cooked on the most recent season of Top Chef Canada

WE DON’T CAST FOR EVIL, BUT IF YOU’RE A JERK, YOU’RE A JERK 46

was world-class food. And that’s the standard now. It’s continually pushing the bar up.

Cooks are watching the show and saying, ‘I want to cook food like that too. How do I learn how to do that?’ ” The pressure of cooking and being judged on television was, to Heinrich, an amplification of the pressure a chef feels cooking every day; albeit with more stressful elements of unfamiliar ingredients and shorter time limits. As long as he didn’t go home first, he wasn’t worried.

The real anxiety came from how he would be perceived on television.

“My goal, when I went on that show, was to make sure that I didn’t give them shit – anything to work with so they could portray me as an asshole. And I slipped up. A couple times. And every time I slipped up it was on TV,” says Heinrich, who now laughs about it.

“To Carl’s point, yeah, people are nervous about what’s going to happen,” says Top Chef Canada producer Cliff Dempster. “We don’t cast in terms of the evil character, the funny character. We look for cooking skill. But if you’re a jerk, you’re a jerk.”

After narrowing down applicants from the 200 to 500 that apply every year, Dempster will do phone interviews, then visit chefs in their cities, putting them on camera while they cook and talk. He’s looking for chefs with

ABOVE: After winning Top Chef Canada season 2, Carl Heinrich was in a better position to open Richmond Station, the restaurant he co-owns

the full package; top–level culinary abilities plus enough extrovert qualities to keep the audience entertained as they narrate what’s happening during the show.

If anything, says Dempster, the challenge of casting is an embarrassment of riches.

Some years there are so many great chefs he wishes he could film two seasons at once. For those who don’t make the cut, he encourages them to apply again, with tips about being more camera ready.

“Part of the job of a casting producer is to help them share their stories,” he says.

Preparing for season eight, Dempster has been calling alumni to ask about how the show has impacted their careers.

“Everyone comes on the show believing they can win, which is really important for a great competition,” says Dempster. “What I’m hearing is more about what they learned about themselves, within the process of the competition.”

Nicholson sums up the lesson succinctly.

“Surrounded by crazy-talented people,” she remembers, “I learned that I wasn’t as good as I thought I was.” f

Did you know?

Just about one out of two olives consumed in Canada come from Spain!

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Get to know its best go-to varieties and the countless, delicious ways to prepare them.

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NO SPAIN, NO GAIN

With such simple and beautiful ingredients, it’s easy to “eat with your eyes” on this food tour of Spain.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH PFLUG

S

PAIN IS FAMOUS for a lot of wonderful things – beautiful beaches, mind-bending architecture and graceful flamenco dancing, to name a few – but its cuisine has been slower to claim its rightful spot on the global food stage. Over the past few years, partly

thanks to some of Toronto’s own fantastic Spanish restaurants, paella, croquetas, patatas bravas and countless other enticing dishes have found their way into our hearts (and stomachs) and now we wonder how we ever lived without them.

While the cuisine varies significantly from region to region (and that’s part of the

fun), one common element that unites all Spanish cooking is an emphasis on simple, flavourful ingredients. And that’s a culinary ethos that we can definitely get on board with. Photographer Sarah Pflug takes us on a mouthwatering visual tour of Spain that proves why this country’s cuisine should be the focus of your next trip to Europe. f

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ABOVE: A vendor carves jamón ibérico at the jamóneria inside the beautiful, 20th-century Mercado San Miguel in Madrid.

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BELOW: Pulpo Gallego is prepared fresh by Catalonian locals at a small outdoor festival in Barcelona’s Vila de Grà cia neighbourhood.

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BELOW: Churros, fried sticks of dough, are a popular breakfast treat in Spain. They’re typically served with warm, thick hot chocolate for dipping.

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ABOVE: The exterior of Chocolatería San Ginés in Madrid, one of Spain’s most famous spots for churros con chocolaté.

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I

WAS FIRST INTRODUCED to Toronto’s “vomit comet” over a decade ago. The moniker refers to the city’s Blue Night buses that offer late-night (usually after last call) rides from downtown heading to North York, Scarborough or Etobicoke.

The 320 Yonge bus is the best-known option and is most closely tied to the nickname. For me and some of my friends it was a backup in case we missed our planned ride home. The trip north amongst fellow carousers would ease my feeling of malaise as it took me from King up to Sheppard.

While Toronto’s partying scene is just as diverse as any other part of life here, it didn’t take me long to notice that I wasn’t just surrounded by fellow revellers. The bus is also the only way home from the late shift.

“My shift always ended very late. Usually at 2 a.m. after we cleaned the restaurant. I would take the bus back to Scarborough and it would be filled with other Sri Lankans who worked in the industry,” says Kokulan “Kobe” Saravanapavananthan. He’s one of the many Sri Lankan chefs who have been quietly shaping the Toronto food scene. For chefs like Saravanapavananthan, the bus served as both transportation and a social network, but not to meet jovial club-goers.

Saravanapavananthan is the sous chef at O&B’s Jump restaurant in the Financial District. Jump is a New York-style bistro with sky-high ceilings and a menu that covers French and Italian. Saravanapavananthan joined the restaurant in 1999 as a dishwasher.

Born in 1978 in Jaffna, a peninsula on Sri Lanka’s northern tip, Saravanapavananthan’s earliest memories revolve around his family’s farm. In a tropical savanna climate, they were surrounded by rice paddies, coconut and palmyra palm plantations. Then, in the early 1980s, everything changed.

“Because of the civil war between the →

MANY SRI LANKAN TAMILS RODE THE BUS EVERY NIGHT 54

LEFT: At the Office Pub, Ruban Subramaniam has included kothu roti on the menu amongst the expected pub fare

GLASS CEYLON

Toronto’s Sri Lankan cooks are finally breaking through into the upper ranks of kitchen management.

Suresh Doss talks to them about the experience of finding a place for their cuisine.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTIE VUONG

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→ Sinhalese and Tamils. I am Tamil, so my family felt that it wasn’t safe. I was sponsored to come to Canada,” he says.

Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, has a long history of conflict between the two groups, which predates British rule (1815 to 1948). This escalated in the mid-1970s when young, militant factions sought to carry out a series of assassinations.

What was once a vibrant coastal city with a sprawling swathe of golden beaches, and a cuisine that was a unique meld of South Indian, Dutch and Portuguese, quickly became a shadow state and a capital for endless, violent military operations.

The war ended in 2009 when the Sri Lankan troops disarmed the last militant outposts. And Sri Lanka became a tourist spot for sun-seekers and food enthusiasts.

Well before the rest of the world joined the trend, much of the island’s food was vegetarian or vegan. Recently, Jaffna has started to experience a surge in tourism from culinary enthusiasts and culture seekers.

I was born in the capital city of Colombo.

As my parents witnessed the deterioration and civil unrest around them, they decided to emigrate to Canada. For years, I clung to my memories of the tropical island, the soothing sound of the Indian Ocean, the whirring phat-phati engines and vibrant cuisine.

ESTIMATES PUT THE GTA’S TAMIL POPULATION AT OVER 200,000 There were fewer than 200 Tamil Sri Lankans living in Canada during the first waves of immigration in the late 70s and early 80s, but during a civil war that lasted over 25 years, with over 100,000 civilian deaths, countless families fled to the U.K, Australia, Italy and Canada. Today, the Tamil population in the GTA is estimated to be over 200,000 and Tamils are one of the largest immigrant groups in the country.

And sometimes, at least to me, it seems like every one of them is a cook.

“There are many reasons why so many Tamils entered the industry. It’s a complicated answer but I think it is because we are very skilled workers and we show

a level of dedication that the industry demands,” Ruben Subramaniam says. He’s the owner and chef at the downtown Office Pubs. “We also needed a job quickly. Tamils relied on other Tamils for references. Many of these guys met each other while taking transit; they would learn of new jobs.”

Saravanapavananthan agrees on that point. “Tamils that arrived here couldn’t speak English, they had no education. I had to survive and I had to pay back the debt that I owed. So I needed a job quickly; the restaurant industry made sense to me. I was told about the job at Jump one night when I was taking the Yonge bus,” Saravanapavananthan says.

Tamil cooks were usually sponsored by families or friends, and amassed a debt that needed to be repaid quickly. “I owed $30,000,” Saravanapavananthan says.

After cold-calling and numerous visits to restaurants with resume in hand, Saravanapavananthan was introduced to the restaurant manager at Jump.

He was offered a job as a dishwasher. Over the last 25 years he has worked up through the kitchen to his current role as sous chef.

“I remember when I first came to Canada, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I had no career ambition. I just needed to survive,” Sivanesan “Sri” Shanmugalingam says.

LEFT: The Jaffna fish curry has gone from staff-meal duty to the menu. ABOVE: Kokulan Saravanapavananthan is Jump’s sous chef

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Like Saravanapavananthan, Shanmugalingam left Jaffna because of the country’s civil war. After a brief time in Malaysia, he was sponsored to Canada where he moved in with his uncle on the Danforth. Luck would have it that he would meet a childhood friend who was working for United Bakers Dairy Restaurant at the time. Shanmugalingam was introduced to coowner Philip Ladovsky and was immediately offered work in the kitchen.

Shanmugalingam is now kitchen manager and chef at the Jewish-style diner that’s one of the oldest restaurants in Toronto. “We turned 107 this year. The restaurant has

IT WAS A TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY, EVERYONE WANTED TO HELP

always been in the family and the doors have always been open to anyone from any background that wants to work here. We are united. It’s in our DNA,” says Ladovsky.

Working in the hospitality industry was an easy choice for new refugees like Saravanapavananthan, Shanmugalingam and Subramaniam. Throughout my career as a food writer, I constantly run into Sri Lankan cooks in kitchens across the city. It didn’t matter if it was a French, Italian or Portuguese restaurant, a brewpub, a snack bar or a pizza shop, there were Tamil cooks everywhere. To a recent immigrant with little or no post-secondary education, a loose grasp of English, and a devotion to sending money back home, getting a restaurant job was the answer.

“It was a tight-knit community, everyone was looking to help each other and we knew that the kitchens of restaurants were a welcoming place,” he says. “Yorkville was a hot spot and then word spread, there were plenty of jobs for eager Tamils.”

Tamil cooks are praised for their adaptability and knack for cooking a variety of cuisines – “they have great palates, they have a keen sense of spicing and they’re really great with their hands,” says Matt Sullivan, executive chef at the sprawling Real Sports Bar. Despite that, they rarely headline

ABOVE: Kothu roti gets its name from the technique that cuts the roti and mixes the ingredients. It’s a staple at Rusi Kitchen

menus with food from their homeland.

While Tamil cooks have played a pivotal role in the hospitality industry in Toronto, I have often felt a wave of frustration cloud my initial excitement and pride. There are so many Sri Lankan cooks in this city, but so few of them own restaurants. I sometimes think Sri Lankan chefs are cooking every type of cuisine except their own.

“It is a complicated question, everyone will have a different answer,” Saravanapavananthan says. Over the last two decades, Saravanapavananthan, like many other Tamil cooks, has introduced Sri Lankan food to his colleagues via their staff meal.

Shanmugalingam and Saravanapavananthan would serve fish dishes and elaborate rice and curry plates. Slowly but surely, these dishes have made special appearances on menus. At Jump, Saravanapavananthan has featured his signature Jaffna fish curry, whole fish that is marinated in a bed of spices and then cooked in a fiery sauce. There’s also a mutton curry on the menu that is just as good as what you’d find at a Sri Lankan restaurant.

Over the years, Subramaniam has →

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ABOVE: After a chance job offer, Sivanesan Shanmugalingam has worked up to lead the kitchen team at United Bakers Dairy Restaurant

→ amassed a following of young Tamil cooks who have entered the hospitality industry under his guidance. At the Office Pub he employs as many Tamil cooks as he can find. There’s even a secret menu at the pubs, dedicated to Tamil food, including one of the most memorable mutton curry and rice dishes to be found in the city. Two years ago, he opened Rusi, a spin-off Sri Lankan takeout spot at Yonge and King where the menu has expanded to other Sri Lankan dishes.

Johnne Phinehas owns Saffron Spice Kitchen, a popular takeout counter at Queen and Spadina where he has gained a reputation for serving traditional Sri Lankan cuisine. The 38-year-old has been living in Canada since 1995, after a decade spent in Tamil Nadu, India, which his family fled to by boat from Sri Lanka. He recalls growing up during the conflict and how it shaped the early years of his life. “It was unpredictable, chaotic sometimes. We were always looking over our shoulder as a family every time we stepped out of the house,” he says.

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Phinehas’s parents decided to leave the country and they fled by boat to Rameswaran, a port town at the southern most point of Tamil Nadu. “It felt like the journey took forever,” he recalls.

A decade later, the family moved to Scarborough. Phinehas admits that he struggled to focus in school and learning to cook was a way for him to stay out of trouble.

He dreamt of opening a Sri Lankan restaurant downtown and introducing his native cuisine to those that were not familiar with it.

Saffron Spice Kitchen opened on Queen West six years ago, with a menu that highlights Sri Lankan classics like kothu roti where day-old roti is tossed with chilies and curry then chopped on a hot grill with two blunt, metal blades. It’s a popular form of street food that is common at roadside stalls in Colombo. “My customers are not all Sri Lankan, being so close to the startup district I see all cultures coming to my store. They’re not afraid of trying something new and they are not afraid of spice,” he says.

In the last few years, non-Tamil chefs and restaurant owners throughout the city have started to dedicate sections of their menus to the hard-working cooks in the kitchen.

As well, a few fledgling Tamil-owned spots

downtown like Saffron Spice Kitchen and the new Rusi Kitchen are beginning to draw the city’s eternally curious culinary crowd.

Cooks like Phinehas have become role models for a young brigade eager to get their chef whites and maybe open a restaurant.

“In a city where you have so many thriving cultures and different types of cuisine, I’m surprised that we don’t see many Sri Lankan restaurants downtown,” Phinehas says. “We all know that they make the best staff meals. That’s our introduction to the cuisine”. f

I SEE ALL CULTURES COMING IN. THEY’RE NOT AFRAID OF SPICE

Frontenac Club

Eggs Frontenac — poached eggs on a toasted sourdough with smoked salmon, asparagus and bearnaise sauce. frontenacclub.com

Green Woods Inn

Peach & ginger crêpes with peameal ham, ginger horseradish and ginger peach coulis with a side of strawberries, kiwi, brûléed banana, and maple granola. greenwoods-inn.ca

BREAKFAST INN BED These historic Kingston inns are more than just a place to hang your hat while in town.

Enjoy history, elegance, romance—and of course, heavenly breakfasts in a league of their own.

The Secret Garden Inn

Baked stuffed french toast with blueberry orange sauce, fresh fruit parfait with plain greek yoghurt, peameal bacon, fresh squeezed juice and coffee or tea. thesecretgardeninn.com

Rosemount Inn + Spa

Vanilla custard french toast with homemade berry compote. rosemountinn.com

COCKTAIL HOUR Rum, citrus and tropical fruit combine to weave a warm-weather thread through these three cocktails from Yorkdale’s swish Kasa Moto.

WORDS BY TAYLOR NEWLANDS PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH PFLUG

I N PART N ERS HIP W IT H FLOR DE CAÑA Named the best rum distillery in the world in 2018, Flor de Caña upholds rigorous standards to make their award-winning rums. The single family, fifth-generation estate producer is Fair Trade Certified and operates on 100 per cent renewable energy. Enriched by the San Cristóbal, the tallest and most active volcano in Nicaragua, Flor de Caña’s rums have a unique flavour and quality. Add a bottle to your bar cart and sip neat or use it to elevate your cocktail game.

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P

OSSIBLY YORKVILLE’S BEST kept secret, Kasa Moto has been quietly slinging some of the city’s prettiest cocktails for the past four years. The contemporary Japanese restaurant offers refined dining on the ground floor, while the second level boasts a sprawling patio that’s somehow managed to fly under the radar.

To appeal to both crowds, Jae Santos and Damian McIntyre draw inspiration from Japanese ingredients and their own backgrounds when designing cocktails.

Originally from the Caribbean, McIntyre’s bartending style revolves around all things tropical. “Bananas are our largest agricultural export,” says McIntyre. “I grew up on bananas so I make a banana and guava Mai Tai.” While McIntyre reflects on his roots, Santos gets inspiration from his family. “My grandmother has a cantaloupe-lemonade she’s made for our family since we were kids and it’s a very simple recipe but it’s so delicious. I put that on our menu with a little bit of tweaking here and there, adding some different ingredients to elevate it,” he says.

But the two aren’t the only ones crafting Kasa Moto’s cocktails – the whole bar team is involved in the creative process. During brainstorming sessions, everyone gets to add their input, drawing inspiration from each of their own unique backgrounds and experiences to invent something special. f

BELOW: Bar manager Jae Santos (left) and head bartender Damian McIntyre (right) create a wideranging cocktail programme for Kasa Moto

JUNGLE CITY COCKTAIL INGREDIENTS ◆◆ 2 oz Flor de Caña 12-year-old rum ◆◆ 1/2 oz Amaro Montenegro ◆◆ 1/2 oz Dolin Rouge vermouth ◆◆ 1 bar spoon DOM Benedictine ◆◆ 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters ◆◆ Garnish with a strip of expressed

orange peel

Photography: ###

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir to dilute and chill.

Strain the drink into a chilled coupe glass. “Express” the orange peel on top of the drink, releasing the natural oils from the skin into the drink and garnish with the peel.

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#FLO R D ECA Ñ A #B ES TR U M IN TH EWO R LD

VOLCANIC ORIGIN.

PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY

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SCENIC ROUTE

NATURALLY AGED.

COCKTAIL IN G R ED IEN TS ◆◆ 2 oz Flor de Caña 12-year-old rum ◆◆ 1/4 oz green Chartreuse ◆◆ 2 oz guava juice ◆◆ 1/4 oz lemon juice ◆◆ 1/2 oz pineapple juice ◆◆ 3/4 oz peach cinnamon syrup ◆◆ 2 pineapple fronds and grated

cinnamon to garnish

CINNAMON SYRU P INGREDIENTS ◆◆ 2 peaches ◆◆ 1 cinnamon stick ◆◆ 1/2 L of granulated sugar ◆◆ 1 L of water

For the Peach Cinnamon Syrup: Combine the sugar and water in a medium pot and stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.

Roughly chop and add the peaches.

Torch the cinnamon stick until lightly burnt, then add it to the mixture.

Stir until peaches become soft, then let the syrup simmer for at least 20 minutes. Strain the syrup into a container and let cool.

#B ES TR U M IN TH EWO R LD #FLO R D ECA Ñ A

For the Scenic Route: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake to dilute and chill. Strain into a collins glass over crushed or pebbled ice. Garnish with 2 pineapple fronds and a dash of grated cinnamon.

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PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY

ISLAND AFFAIR C OCKTAIL ING REDIENTS ◆◆ 2 oz Flor de Caña 7-year-old rum ◆◆ 1/2 oz Luxardo cherry ◆◆ 1/4 oz Frangelico ◆◆ 11/2 oz banana purée ◆◆ 1/2 oz lemon juice ◆◆ 1/2 oz simple syrup ◆◆ Banana chip, edible flowers and a

brandy-soaked cherry to garnish

BANANA PURÉE INGREDIENTS ◆◆ 2 ripe bananas ◆◆ 11/2 cups water ◆◆ Banana liqueur

S I MPLE SY RUP INGREDIENTS ◆◆ 1 cup sugar ◆◆ 1 cup water

For the banana purée: Add bananas and water to a blender. Starting on low, blend the bananas, working up through the speeds until everything is fully integrated. For every 20 oz of banana purée, add 5 to 7 oz (depending on your preferred sweetness) of banana liqueur. Mix until liqueur is integrated.

For the simple syrup: Combine sugar and water in a pot set over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved in the water. Cool syrup.

For the Island Affair: Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake to dilute and chill.

Strain the drink into a rocks glass filled with ice. Add garnishes.

Photography: ###

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VOLCANIC ORIGIN. NATURALLY AGED.

#F L ORDEC A ÑA #B E STRUMI NT HE WORL D PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY

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PROMOTION

BERRY SPECIAL

As a great source of vitamin C and a versatile snack, California strawberries should be in your daily routine.

T

HERE ARE PLENTY of ways to use strawberries – dipped in chocolate, baked into a cheesecake or to garnish a strawberry daiquiri. However, strawberries don't need to be tied to a special occasion; they're perfect for a mid-morning snack, a mid-afternoon slump or healthy pre-bedtime treat.

In addition to calling sunny California home, its strawberries are blessed with a list of benefits. Thanks to a combination of climate, soil and farming expertise, California strawberry farmers grow the sweetest, juiciest berries, bursting with healthy bonuses.

Just one serving of eight strawberries is low in sugar and calories and is a source of fibre. Plus, just one serving of the red fruit offers more vitamin C than an orange, which is known to help boost the immune system.

While a handful of fresh strawberries are pretty tasty on their own, the ways to incorporate them into your everyday are limitless. From simple snacks, like strawberry and nut butter rollups for after your visit to the gym, or strawberry and goat cheese crostinis (recipe, right) for friends who drop by after work to whipping up a tasty salsa with California strawberries, cucumber, avocado, mint lime and mint, there’s no end to the yummy ways you can enjoy California strawberries.

First things first, don’t limit yourself by thinking strawberries are only for those with a sweet-tooth. The juicy fruit works perfectly in savoury foods, like a grilled cheese sandwich; experiment with brie, goat cheese or feta. For another tasty snack, switch out the traditional tomato for strawberries on your bruschetta. The similar sweet and tart flavour profile is a dream pairing with the usual extra virgin olive oil,

balsamic vinegar and basil.

Another surprising match is strawberries and spice. Use California strawberries sliced in half as your base for jalapeño poppers filled with crumbled bacon and cream cheese.

California strawberries are a simple way to make snack time a healthy part of your day. Plus, with year-round availability, it’s easy to introduce eight strawberries into your day. ● For more delicious snacking ideas visit: californiastrawberries.com

STRAWBERRY & GOAT CHEESE CROSTINI Ingredients ◆◆ ½ French baguette thinly sliced

on the bias

◆◆ 1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

◆◆ 1 cup strawberries thinly sliced ◆◆ 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

◆◆ 4 oz. goat cheese at room

temperature

◆◆ 3-4 fresh basil leaves julienned

for serving

Method 1 Preheat oven to 350 F. 2 Put 6 bread slices on a baking sheet and brush slices with oil on both sides. Season lightly with salt and pepper, bake until pale golden, about 10-15 minutes.

3 Put cut strawberries in a bowl with balsamic vinegar and let sit for 10 minutes. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of goat cheese onto each crostini. Top with a few basil shreds and then place a spoonful of marinated strawberries on top.

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PROMOTION

HOLD YOUR HORSES

More than just a great spot to watch the thrilling sport of horse racing, Woodbine Racetrack is also home to events, live music and excellent options for dining.

I

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of the most decked out and extravagant fashion around. Live music often makes an appearance, then there are the slot machines and don’t forget the actual horse racing events.

When we’re enjoying a day at the races, our favourite place to kick back and relax or get fired up (depending on how well our horse is doing), is the Woodbine Club Dining Room. They only service one seating for each meal, so once you’ve booked a table it’s yours.

You’re free to meander the grounds, watch from the grand stand or top up your plate at the buffet – come back and

your table will still be waiting for you.

Then there’s the Woodbine Club Buffet itself. The selection of over 60 items rotates twice weekly, so there’s always something new to try. Most of the menu is made in-house, right down to the homemade mustards, mayonnaise, pickles and chicken liver parfait. For the pièce de résistance, the juicy prime rib is from Ontario corn fed beef, aged in house for a minimum of four weeks.

While the meat might have been top rank, vegetarian options abound as well.

Grab a plate, sit back and enjoy all of the excitement Woodbine has to offer. ●

Photography: Sandro Pehar

F THUNDERING HOOVES, cheering crowds and the thrill of a big win don’t already get your blood pumping, well first we’d ask what your idea of fun is, but then we’d say there’s much more to Woodbine than just watching the races.

Visiting Woodbine Racetrack is a full experience. Ten different drinking and dining options have got you covered for anything from double doubles and doughnuts, to fine whisky and prime rib.

During special Woodbine events like the Queen's Plate, don your best fascinator or hat and dress up – and be sure to keep an eye on the crowd to see some

— PART 3 —

EXCESS “DUBAI IS A FUTURISTIC, DREAM-LIKE WORLD THAT SEEMS TO CONSTANTLY DEFY WHAT’S POSSIBLE” DUBAI ON THE DOUBLE, 070

070 DUBAI ON THE DOUBLE | 080 INSIDER | 082 BOTTLE SERVICE | 091 FOODISM’S FINEST 093 THE DIGEST | 094 THE SELECTOR | 098 DECONSTRUCT

DUBAI ON THE DOUBLE

Jessica Huras breaks through Dubai’s gilded shell to find the restaurants and galleries that make it one of Arabia’s most interesting cities.

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Photography: Marek Kijevsky

ABOVE: The Dubai Fountain features more than 6,000 lights and can spray up to 22,000 gallons of water

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D

UBAI IS A futuristic, dream-like world that seems to constantly defy what’s possible. It’s a place of superlatives – home to the world’s tallest building, the biggest shopping mall and some of the most luxurious hotels on the planet. Yet, in spite of the emirate’s extravagant reputation, it isn’t as superficial as it may seem and it rewards those who dig beneath the glitzy surface.

While those looking to spend some serious cash will find no shortage of opportunities in Dubai, the city has another identity as a utopia-like community where ethnicities from across the globe (85 per cent of the city’s population are expats) coexist more-or-less peacefully together. Add in its rich, complex history and ever-growing art scene, and you’re met with a destination that strikes an intriguing balance between consumerism and culture. Here’s how to

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see the best of the city’s different sides on a whirlwind, two-day trip.

DAY 1 MORNING: BAKER & SPICE, DUBAI MALL

make my highlights list for a city, but this one is no mere shopping centre. Aside from having the claim to fame of being the world’s largest by total area, it’s an important part of life in Dubai – with temperatures sometimes reaching 45 C in the summer, locals often

AND BURJ KHALIFA

Break your first-day fast with a visit to Baker & Spice, which specializes in local, organic eats. In contrast to Toronto, restaurants focused on local ingredients aren’t commonplace in Dubai, making Baker & Spice a pioneer in the space. Go for the poached Turkish eggs with labneh and Aleppo chili or B & S Shakshouka Matbukha for two. They have a few locations around the city, but their original Souk Al Bahar branch has prime views of the Burj Khalifa (which we’ll check out later).

Fuel up thoroughly at breakfast because you’ll need your energy for the next stop: the Dubai Mall. It’s not often that a mall would

THE CITY HAS AN IDENTITY AS A UTOPIA-LIKE COMMUNITY

observation area also features interesting multimedia presentations about the history of Dubai and the construction of the Burj Khalifa. Keep in mind that prices vary by level and it’s cheaper if you book tickets ahead of your visit.

AFTERNOON: AT.MOSPHERE AND ALSERKAL AVENUE

ABOVE: The Madinat Jumeirah resort complex features over 40 hectares of landscaped gardens and waterways, some of which have lovely views of Burj Al Arab

Photography: Pajor Pawel

spend their days in air-conditioned retreats.

Also, people travel from all over the UAE to visit the Dubai Mall and shop for brands they can’t find elsewhere in the country.

Catch an afternoon showing of the Dubai Fountain, the world’s tallest performing fountain, which is located right in front of the mall. Alternatively, plan to swing back by the fountain after dark – its 500-foot-high water spurts choreographed to music are even more impressive at nighttime when the fountain is illuminated.

After you’ve shopped ‘til you drop at the Dubai Mall (which is a literal possibility with over 1,300 shops to explore), continue on to one of the city’s most iconic sites: the Burj Khalifa, directly accessible from the mall.

It’s the world’s tallest building (sorry, CN Tower). Take the elevator up to At the Top, an observation area that’s spread across levels 124, 125 and 148 of the building.

In addition to the sweeping views, the

Head down to floor 122 of the Burj Khalifa for afternoon tea at At.mosphere, which is dubbed the world’s highest restaurant. It may not be at the top of the tower but, at 442 metres up, the view from their floor-to-ceiling windows is still pretty darn spectacular. The basic high tea experience makes for a good light lunch, featuring finger sandwiches, pastries and scones (or you can opt for the pricier menu which includes a roast or catch of the day as an entree).

Descend back down to street level and spend your afternoon exploring Alserkal Avenue, an artsy street running through an industrial neighbourhood. The strip of former warehouses is now home to over 20 galleries displaying contemporary art from big international names as well as emerging local artists. You’ll find plenty of browsable shops interspersed amid the galleries (if your shopping fix wasn’t satiated at the mall), along with eclectic eateries where you can stop for a snack break (including much-loved Melbourne-style café Tom & Serg).

EVENING: BURJ AL ARAB, PAI THAI AND THE DUBAI FOUNTAIN

Next up is a photo stop at Dubai’s second-most-famous building: Burj Al Arab.

Opened in 1999, the sail-shaped hotel has become synonymous with Dubai’s overthe-top luxury. Set on an artificial island, this towering property is known for its helipad and Rolls-Royce airport pickups. Not surprisingly, you can’t get inside the hotel without a reservation but Umm Suqeim Beach is a well-known spot to snap a photo in front of the hotel’s distinctive facade, which is inspired by the sail of a dhow (a traditional wooden boat from the area).

For dinner, head to Pai Thai, a romantic Thai restaurant set within the Madinat Jumeirah development. Madinat Jumeirah is worth seeing in its own right: a complex of hotels, shops and winding waterways that’s inspired by traditional Arab villages. You’ll need to take a wooden abra boat to reach the restaurant, giving you a chance to take in the complex’s network of palm-tree-lined canals on the way. Try to get a table on the terrace overlooking the canal so you can

THE PROPERTY IS KNOWN FOR ITS HELIPAD AND ROLLSROYCES continue admiring the view (the complex is illuminated at night).

If you didn’t check out the Dubai Fountain earlier, head there post-dinner to close out your evening with a mesmerizing water display, complete with lights and music.

DAY 2 MORNING: SHEIKH MOHAMMED CENTRE FOR CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND AL FAHIDI HISTORICAL NEIGHBOURHOOD

Day one focused on modern Dubai, so for day two, we change gears and delve into the city’s history. Kick off your day at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, a nonprofit centre aimed at educating visitors about UAE customs and traditions. On Monday and Wednesday, the centre offers traditional Middle Eastern breakfasts, which include dishes like ligamat (sweet dumplings) and chabab (cardamomspiced pancakes). The food alone is worth the experience, but during your visit, you’re also invited to ask your hosts questions you have about Arabic culture while dining in the centre’s pleasant courtyard.

The centre runs guided tours of the adjacent Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, which is where I recommend heading next (either on a guided tour or just to explore on your own). The only surviving historic district in Dubai, this charming neighbourhood offers insight into what the city looked like before the Emirates were formed in the 1970s.

Originally settled in the early 19th century, the neighbourhood’s maze-like, narrow streets are lined with sand-coloured buildings that house museums, cafes, art galleries and shops. It’s a pleasant spot for an aimless wander, (the houses are topped with →

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→ wind towers that help to cool the laneways) and you can also check out a small piece of the old city wall, which dates back to 1800.

AFTERNOON: ARABIAN TEA HOUSE AND DESERT EXCURSION

Continue your dive into Dubai’s past with lunch at Arabian Tea House. Set in the former home of a pearl merchant, a leafy courtyard setting with white wicker chairs and vintage photos of Dubai give this restaurant a cozy, timeless ambiance. It’s a great spot to get a further taste of Emirati cuisine, with the restaurant offering well-prepared versions of specialties like lamb machboos (a spicy lamb dish with tomato sauce and rice) and saloona

chicken (a flavourful chicken stew), as well as – as its name implies – a huge selection of tasty, loose-leaf teas.

From there, ramp the adventure up a notch with a desert excursion. Dubai sits in the middle of the Arabian Desert, which occupies the majority of the Arabian Peninsula and spans over 2,330,000 square kilometres. As you might expect, dozens of tour operators offer day-trips from Dubai into the surrounding sands.

I travelled with Arabian Adventures, one of the city’s longest-running tour companies.

The tour included dune riding, photo stops at desert lookout points and an evening camp-out with an Arab-style buffet dinner.

BELOW: Arabian Tea House restaurant specializes in traditional Emirati dishes, including flavourful Middle Eastern breakfast spreads

RAMP THE ADVENTURE UP A NOTCH WITH A DESERT EXCURSION It’s slightly kitschy but also fun; however, there are dozens of alternative tour options, ranging from ones that focus on traditional Bedouin life to overnighters that include a morning hot air balloon ride over the desert.

EVENING: MAMA’ESH AND TREEHOUSE

If dinner isn’t included on your desert tour, head back into downtown Dubai and stop at Mama’esh for a quick, casual bite.

This Palestinian eatery bakes most of their dishes in a wood-fired, stone oven, using organic flour. They’re best-known for their fatayer, a kind of Middle Eastern meat pie.

Mama’esh serves them pizza-style on an open flatbread – the chili minced meat and cheese version is the fan favourite.

Finally, cap off your last night in Dubai by taking in the cityscape from the rooftop of Treehouse Bar. This al fresco bar has memorably good cocktails, and the vibe is a little more relaxed than some of the city’s flashier rooftop venues – best of all, it has fantastic views of downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa, giving you a chance to admire this iconic building once more before bidding farewell to the City of Gold. f

GETTING THERE

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Photography: Arabian Tea House

Emirates, which is based in Dubai, offers multiple nonstop flights from Toronto each week with a total flight time of about 13 hours. The Dubai Metro Red Line stops at terminals 1 and 3 of the Dubai International Airport for quick access to the city. emirates.ca; dubaimetro.eu

ROCK

HOUSE R ES T A U R A N T

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN As we undertake a three-year redevelopment of our iconic Table Rock Centre at the brink of the epic, Canadian Horseshoe Falls, we launch phase one in May 2019 with the grand re-opening of Table Rock House Restaurant. Named for the restaurant that was once located on this site, Table Rock House Restaurant will present visitors with an entirely unique dining experience. Recalling the history of the destination, showcasing dynamic local food stories through expertly crafted seasonal menus including recommended pairings, and all with a side of one of the world’s most unrivalled views.

To learn more about Niagara Parks Culinary, and our newly renovated Table Rock House Restaurant, visit niagaraparks.com/culinary

— THE REC ROOM —

GAME, SET, SNACK A FOODISM GUIDE

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PROMOTION

PAT I O

PA RTY

ALL HANDS ON DECK

A secret oasis in the heart of the city, the Rec Room’s little-known patio, the Deck, will be your new favourite place to wine, dine and have a good time this summer.

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E’VE ALL BEEN there. It’s a Friday and you’re looking to grab a drink (or a few drinks, we’re not here to judge) with your coworkers before the weekend. But every patio in the downtown core is rammed and by the time the waitlist clears it will be Monday again. Well what if we told you there was a place you could go ­– a hidden gem, tucked away but conveniently located downtown?

While you might be familiar with the sprawling mecca of food and entertainment that is the Rec Room, what you might not know is that their

patio is one of downtown Toronto’s best kept secrets. The hidden oasis is decked out with lush greenery and canopies, and features unobstructed views of the city. Aptly called the Deck, it’s a place to hang out with friends, coworkers or even a date, and escape from the city while still being right in the heart of it.

With its own outdoor kitchen, the Deck has a completely unique menu from the rest of the Rec Room. Choose from shareable options like smoky BBQ braised pulled pork sliders and crispy tortilla chips dipped in mango, avocado and shrimp salsa. A selection of sip-

able summer cocktails are also on offer, including two different variations of sangria and a mango-lime rum punch.

Fitting the Rec Room's vibe, the Deck is also home to great entertainment options. Enjoy live music acts or play lawn games like giant Jenga and cornhole while you tuck into delicious drinks and great food.

Whether you’re looking to while away an afternoon, have a great night out or simply just grab a drink after work or after a sports game, the Deck is sure to be your new favourite summertime spot. ●

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D I N I N G A ND

E N T E RTA I N M E N T

IT’S ALL YUM AND GAMES

With over 80 arcade games, a fully immersive VR experience and three different dining options, the Rec Room has got you fully covered for eats and entertainment.

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F YOU’RE ANYTHING like us, you’re always looking for foodie destinations to find your next fix. But as much as we hate to say it, sometimes quality eats just don’t cut it. Don’t get us wrong,

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noshing the night away can be great, but sometimes we want a side of fun with our food. The Rec Room offers the best of both worlds – great entertainment and an incredible selection of games,

with good eats to match. It’s the perfect combination to make a memorable outing, whether you’re celebrating, team building with your coworkers or simply just hanging out.

PROMOTION

Located in the heart of downtown, right by Union Station, the Rec Room is 40,000 square feet of fun. It’s home to nearly 100 games, an immersive VR experience, live music performances, giant TV screens for game night and three unique eating options.

Named for Canada’s three territories and 10 provinces, Three10 is the Rec Room’s main dining destination. The variety of Canadiana cuisine is as diverse as our country, stretching from lettuce wraps and short rib sliders to salmon salad and maple baby back ribs.

Start the night off with some shareables.

Go for the warm, giant soft pretzel served with a melted beer cheese sauce; the crispy chicken bites with chipotle bbq sauce; and crunchy tempura green beans with spicy vegan mayo. If you start to feel food fatigue coming on, duck out for some games before going back to your table to move onto mains.

If you’re not in the mood for a sitdown dinner, head over to the Shed, the Rec Room’s best option for quick, midgame bites. Five different choices for wood-fired pizza will keep you satiated – including ‘super greens’, a veggie pie on a herb and garlic base, loaded with artichoke, zucchini, arugula, olives, feta and roasted tomatoes. For poutine patriots, they have a classic; a French onion iteration; and a supreme, topped with beer cheese queso, pico de gallo, jalapeños and sour cream. For a shot of sugar to keep the adrenaline pumping and your head in the game, there are mini donuts, served with your choice of chocolate or caramel dipping sauce.

When you’re not chowing down, the Rec Room’s games and entertainment will keep you revved up. Their VR system, the VOID is a whole-body, fully immersive experience, with you and your friends physically inside the action.

A mix of new and old school games will keep every kind of gamer entertained. Pool, ping pong and shuffleboard are available, and the Rec Room hosts themed nights for board games and trivia. If you have a need for speed, take things into high gear with the VRX car simulator. Meanwhile, over 80 arcade games include classics like Pac Man and Mario Kart.

With the combination of good food and great entertainment, the Rec Room has got you covered for any occasion. ●

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BLACK FOX DISTILLERY When grain farmers John Cote and Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote decided to experiment with small-batch craft distilling, they couldn’t have predicted the success they would enjoy. But their oaked gin, which took home the award for World’s Best Gin in London in 2017, proved to their community and the world just how well grain-to-glass suits them. From haskap berries to pumpkin flowers, Black Fox Distillery grows 90 per cent of the ingredients in the recipes for their products, which range from whisky and liqueurs to gin and wine spritzers. Make the trip to their beautiful farm just outside Saskatoon where you can enjoy events like their summer G&T in the Field nights.

INSIDER

From all-local bread to up-and-coming breweries, Katie Bridges finds out what makes Saskatoon a prairie gem.

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OCATED NEAR THE middle of the province, Saskatoon is Saskatchewan’s most populous city.

Though it’s often snubbed by fellow Canadians because of its remote location, harsh winters and endless dry, flat farmland, Toontown is blowing off the cobwebs to unveil a vibrant city of makers and crafters that has graduated into a stellar dining destination.

A recent push by young chefs to work with local producers and seasonal ingredients from their own backyard has resulted in a fascinating culinary scene with strong ties to the community. A quick scan of any menu will likely reveal local chanterelle mushrooms and Saskatoon berries woven into the dishes and cocktails – we recommend enjoying one from the patio of visionary new art museum, the Remai Modern, on the bank of the river.

The ‘Bread Basket of Canada’ accounts for more than two-fifths of

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the country’s crop output, so it stands to reason that Saskatchewan’s terroir makes for a memorable meal or two. Plus, about 15 per cent of Saskatoon’s population is of Ukrainian descent and it has the secondhighest Indigenous population per capita in Canada – so it’s no surprise that Saskatoon’s rich culture and food scene is anything but flat. From Baba’s Perogies – with possibly the world’s only perogie drive-thru – and bannock bakes at Wanuskewin Heritage Park to award-winning fare from Canada’s original Top Chef winner, Dale MacKay, at Ayden Kitchen and Bar, Saskatoon is all about blending big flavours with small-town charm.

Breweries and distilleries are getting in on the act. Great Western fought the big guys and is now one of Canada’s most renowned regional breweries with a female brewmaster at the helm, and nanobreweries, like Shelter and 9 Mile Legacy, are on the way up. f For more great travel content, check out our sister magazine, escapism Toronto. escapism.to

GETTING THERE

Both Air Canada and WestJet fly directly between Toronto’s Pearson International Airport and Saskatoon’s John G. Diefenbaker International Airport). The 3.5-hour flights run a few times a day and will set you back around $600 return.

From the airport, it’s a 20-minute drive into downtown Saskatoon. aircanada.com; westjet.com

THE NIGHT OVEN

Even in Canada’s breadbasket, milling your own flour isn’t the modus operandi. This gap in the market led Bryn Rawlyk to open the Night Oven Bakery in North Downtown. Using a locally designed stone mill, he turns organic grains from local farmers into delicious pastries and loaves, baked daily in a handmade brick oven. Even if you don’t make it to this rustic spot, you’re sure to find the Night Oven’s bread, stocked at eateries all over the city, including Darkside Donuts, which bakes Rawlyk’s distinct heritage red-fife and heirloom grains into colourful creations with locally inspired names.

ODLA

Photography: Tourism Saskatoon

A newbie on the Saskatoon foodie scene, this farm-direct restaurant is shaking things up in the Broadway arts district. Odla is committed to reconnecting diners to the food that they eat – note the photos of cows and pigs on the walls. Partly owned by Farm One Forty, the restaurant focuses on nose-to-tail butchery, ethically-raised animals and dishes created using seasonal ingredients. In addition to a mouthwatering menu that features house-cured meats and lots of local produce, Odla will be launching their market place in the coming months, where guests can pick up groceries like honey, fruit and veg so they can make their own farm fresh meals at home.

THE HOLLOWS

It might look like a Chinese restaurant, but the Golden Dragon exterior conceals a quirky, bustling brunch spot that’s doing something way more exciting than eggs and bacon. When she’s not creating dishes with meat that’s been butchered and brined in-house, chef Christie Peters is taking her team on an apple-picking mission so she can treat Hollows guests to hyper-local fare. Though the wild-harvested plants and pastured meat are great at any time, brunch is where the Hollows shines. Order breakfast ramen or pannekoeken (Dutch pancakes) and ease into the weekend with a local-rhubarb margarita.

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1 1800 SILVER TEQUILA: A sweet, smoky tequila that’s doubledistilled from 100 per cent blue agave (a marker of the sippingquality stuff). Select white tequilas are blended together to add depth. Have it on the rocks or mix up margaritas. $38.20, lcbo.com 2 VOLCAN BLANCO: Despite the name (Spanish for ”volcano”) this is one Mexican spirit that won’t cause a fiery eruption on the way down. Fruity and herbal, it’s sippable enough to enjoy solo. $76.95, lcbo.com 3 PATRON SILVER TEQUILA: Made in small batches, this white tequila is presented in hand-numbered glass bottles (so you can believe them when they tell you it’s handcrafted). With bright flavours of melon, cucumber and citrus, it’s a refreshing summer sipper. $71.95, lcbo.com 4 CASAMIGOS TEQUILA BLANCO: Don’t let this tequila’s celebrity origins (or the fact that George Clooney made additional millions on it) fool you: it’s as good as the hype promises. With its refreshing notes of honey and apple, you’ll want to savour rather than shoot this one. $59.95, lcbo.com 5 AGUAMIEL TEQUILA: When it launched last summer, this crisp, slightly spicy tequila sold out across the country within a few days. Not only is this spirit delicious, it has a local connection: the brand was founded by Craig Shaw, a Canadian entrepreneur. $60.20, lcbo.com

BOTTLE SERVICE

What do tequila, rum and vermouth have in common? They’re all drinks that sing well on their own or hamonize in a summer cocktail.

Photography:

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAILEE MANDEL ART DIRECTION BY APRIL TRAN

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Photography:

1 OSCAR. 697 VERMOUTH BIANCO: Kick off your vermouth journey with a bottle from the region where the fortified wine originated. This white, zesty vermouth from Piedmont in northwest Italy is bursting with notes of elderflower, making it the perfect supporting player for cocktails. $28.80, lcbo.com 2 OTTO’S ATHENS VERMOUTH: This Greek vermouth, crafted in the Attica area, is infused with Greek herbs, citrus fruit and rose petals, giving the aperitif its pretty pink colour. It offers hints of vanilla with a bitter aftertaste on the finish. $21.80, lcbo.com 3 VERMOUTH LA COPA: If you like a red that’s got all the comforting components of mulled wine, this Spanish vermouth, made from sherry is the ticket. With aromas of cinchona bark and orange, this one is guaranteed to spice up your life. $22.95, lcbo.com 4 DOLIN VERMOUTH DE CHAMBERY DRY: Even vermouth novices will probably recognize Dolin, which isn’t surprising when you consider that it’s been around since 1821. The historic, tropical tasting tipple is still made to its original recipe, using a mix of secret herbs and spices. $15.30, lcbo.com

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and spices that go into making Oakheart might be a secret, but we do know it’s rested in oak barrels for a hint of smokiness and notes of creamy butterscotch and dried fruit. $28.95, lcbo.com 3 LA HECHICERA FINE AGED RUM: This Colombian rum is meant to be enjoyed neat or over

a single ice cube. La Hechicera is deep and woody with aromas of orange, roasted coffee and a crisp finish. $79.95, lcbo.com 4 ZAFRA 21 RUM: Aged for 21 years in select bourbon casks, Zafra is a small-batch rum from Panama. It’s smooth and subtly sweet with a long, creamy finish. $99.95, lcbo.com

Photography:

1 FLOR DE CAÑA CENTENARIO 12 YEAR OLD RUM: From Flor de Caña’s Ultra Premium Collection, this 12-year old rum is fruity and sweet on the nose with a smooth vanilla finish. Sip neat or on the rocks, or add to a simple cocktail. $41.95, lcbo.com 2 BACARDI OAKHEART SPICED RUM: The blend of charcoal

PROMOTION

SEA YOU AT THE TABLE

With natural bounty from the farm and sea and engaging food-focused events, it’s easy to see why the Cayman Islands are dubbed ‘the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean’.

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RAVEL IS AN opportunity to feed your appetite for adventure but, let’s face it: there’s an even more important appetite we also want to feed when we journey somewhere new.

With their relaxed vibes and Instagram-worthy beaches, the Cayman Islands are a beautiful destination for your next sunny getaway. This group of three islands is known as ‘the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean,’ which means, in addition to warm weather and superb scenery, you can count on having more amazing dining options than you can shake a fork at.

The Cayman Islands is home to over 140 different nationalities, and this diversity is one of the factors that sets

the Cayman Islands’ cuisine apart from other parts of the Caribbean. From traditional Caymanian fare to Italian, Thai and Indian cuisine, you’ll find restaurants specializing in just about every type of food you might crave.

With over 200 restaurants to choose from, you’ll also find options that suit every kind of dining style, whether you prefer toes-in-the-sand beachside eateries or sophisticated fine dining – culinary connoisseurs won’t want to miss Blue by Eric Ripert, the only restaurant in the Caribbean to win the AAA Five Diamond Award.

One element that ties the varied cuisines you’ll find in the Cayman Islands together is an emphasis on farm-

and sea-to-table cooking. You’ll quickly realize that sustainability is a priority in this lovely Caribbean destination, with many local chefs sharing a dedication to fresh local produce and seafood.

Regardless of when you visit, there are always exciting culinary events happening in the Cayman Islands. Visit in January for Cayman Cookout, an internationally-acclaimed epicurean event that brings together the islands’ best chefs and wine experts; or get a taste of the Caymans’ thriving drinks scene during Cayman Cocktail Week in October. ● To learn more about the Caribbean’s ultimate culinary destination and to plan your visit, head to visitcaymanislands.com

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PROMOTION

WHEN IN ROMAGNA We enjoyed a carefree summer soirée of wine tasting, noshing and mingling – all in celebration of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and Poderi dal Nespoli wines.

SAY YOU'LL BE WINE To celebrate the 90-year anniversary of Poderi dal Nespoli, an estate and winery in Emilia-Romagna, we hosted an evening of Italian wine and food tasting.

Guests who completed their passport entered a giveaway and three lucky winners took home a SMEG mixer in the colour of their choice.

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Photography: Sandro Pehar

Upon arriving at Berkeley Field House, guests were handed their own personal ‘wine passport,’ to asssist them in tasting their way through Emilia-Romagna – from Campodora, the first white wine to receive the DOCG appellation, to the intense citrus blend of the Nespolino Trebbiano Chardonnay. Meanwhile, Italian chef and sommelier Carla Brigliadori flew all the way from Italy to partake in a special pasta and piadina making demonstration.

FOODISM’S FINEST

The Toronto food-and-drink events that we’re still thinking about.

G ET TING FIZZICAL

NON E O F YO U R CANNABIS-NESS

IT’S TIM E TO WINE DOWN

Jessica Huras, Contributing Editor

Taylor Newlands, Editorial Assistant

Claire Plant, Editorial Intern

Veuve Clicquot blew my mind with one of the most visually stunning parties I’ve ever been to – a summery soiree set in an expansive solarium at Hotel X Toronto. The highlight of the evening’s programme of simple champagne cocktails was a subtly flavoured drink created by pouring Veuve Clicquot Rich through a strainer of loose-leaf black tea.

I attended the launch party for TREC’s new cannabis brands Wink and Blissed at Rebel nightclub. With weed-themed cocktails in hand, I snacked on delicious munchies, like sushi and truffle mac ‘n’ cheese, in the haze – of a smoke machine.

There wasn’t any cannabis to sample, but we did get to take home soothing sativa-infused bath bombs.

For the launch of the Annex Hotel’s new wine bar, chef Hoon Ji prepared a lineup of sharing plates, each served with a wine pairing. I was surprised to find that my highlight of the night was – drumroll, please – the salad. Paired expertly with a citrusy verdejo, the mixed greens coated in pistachio and furikake were jam-packed with flavour.

Photography: Veuve by Tobias Wang; Annex by Jess Craven

F L AVOUR OF THE WEEK Reyna on King; 354 King St. E. Sitting somewhere between a café and a latenight date spot, Reyna on King, Bar Reyna’s outpost in the east, aims to cater to snackseekers at all times of the day. They do espresso drinks and grab-and-go breakfast and lunch options from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., plus a full-service lunch and dinner menu.

Nestled underneath the leafy ceiling and exposed lightbulbs, and between whitewashed

walls and a stripped-back bar area, you’ll feel like you’re hanging out in Santorini – which fits well with the European-focused menu.

Aside from the lamb baklava (“If I took it off the menu, I think people would shoot me,” says owner Nicki Laborie), all dishes at Reyna on King are completely new with plenty of snacks priced around the $8 mark. Like the Yorkville original, the Corktown menu travels up and down the Mediterranean coast with nods to Spain and Greece, before switching over to underrepresented cuisines for dishes like za’atarspiced Arabic fries and Middle Eastern favourites like the eggplant tostada with fried luffa bread. f

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PROMOTION

BEYOND CAMPARI-SON

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Negroni, a timeless tipple made with just three perfectly balanced ingredients, so we threw a party fit for a legend.

SEEING RED To mark the centennial of the Negroni, we threw a glamorous red carpet party at Casa la Palma.

To start the night, Campari mixologist Gerard Lad hosted a Negroni masterclass to teach the secret to perfecting the classic cocktail. At the main bar, guests sampled three Campari-based cocktails, while some stumbled upon a secret mini bar where Gerard Lad was mixing up a Cask Tales Negroni.

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Photography: Ted Chai

After an evening of drinking and dining we capped it all off with a red and gold cake to wish the Negroni a happy birthday – and many more.

THE DIGEST

This issue’s food news includes an LCBO flagship store and easier brewing rules.

NEW DRINK DIGS

To sip on something new, head to the LCBO’s just-opened, 22,000-square-foot store at 49 Spadina Ave. Relocated from King and Spadina, the outlet is lodged on the main floor of the Steele Briggs Seed Company heritage building.

The landmark locale will offer a wide mix of beer, wine and spirits, including a newly launched rum, gin and tequila shop. Special features include same-day pick up service, a walk-around sampling bar and tasting stations for new products.

A-GAVE EVENT

Photography: Tequila by Johann Trasch; Market by Mael Balland; Beer by Tom Quandt

Attention all tequila lovers! Toronto’s first-ever tequila festival is coming to the city this October. Presented by Drink Inc., the Toronto Tequila Festival will showcase a selection of tequilas and mezcals, including varieties of blanco (white), reposado (rested) and anejo (aged). In addition to drinks, the festival will serve up tacos and other deliciosos bocados. The festival will be held at Berkeley Church on October 4, 2019. Part of the proceeds will go to the Canadian Music Therapy Fund.

BREWING BURBS The aptly named “Cask Force” is working on changing zoning bylaws to make it easier for craft breweries to open in Toronto. The current (complicated) zoning regulations keep certain breweries from operating patios, tasting rooms or retail sales on their premises. The Cask Force aims to modernize these rules to give local brewers more flexibility. The Housing and Planning Committee has approved the Cask Force recommendations and they are now awaiting final approval from City Council.

MARKET MINDERS

Outdoor farmers’ markets don’t need to pass the same health standards as grocery stores, so it’s a good idea to take your own precautions. While you may already be familiar with food safety tips like washing produce and keeping all meat, seafood and vegetables in separate bags, Health Canada has released their own official tips for market shoppers. One tip: Remember to ask dairy vendors if their products are pasteurized.

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THE SELECTOR Now that the sunshine is here, we’re making it count.

Take a food tour or make a pilgrimage to the best specialty bars and international dessert spots.

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UMMER IS A great time to try new things. As the heat increases, so does our desire to get out of our comfort zone. Luckily for us, there are tons of ways to dive into new experiences without leaving the GTA. If you’ve always wanted to become a spirits connoisseur, you can sample your way

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through Toronto’s specialty bars. From sake to vermouth, each of these establishments shines a spotlight on a particular spirit and presents it in an exciting way.

After you’ve gained confidence in your tasting abilities, why not embark on a themed trek of hidden gems? Whether you’re venturing on a food tour of Kensington Market or sipping your way through the

Urban Whiskey Trail, there’s no better way to enhance your victual smarts.

And if your idea of being adventurous involves biting into a delicious and globallyinspired dessert, Toronto has you covered.

From baklava to taiyaki, our city has lots to offer when it comes to culinary cultural experiences and we’ve rounded up the best options for you to choose from. f

1. WATSON’S Whisky drinkers might be divided into a few camps, but all are welcome at Watson’s. Their lengthy spirits menu has sections for bourbon, Canadian, American and Scotch whisky – Speyside, Islay and Highland are all

present. Even Japanese whisky makes an appearance. Watson’s also has a bring-your-own-food policy which means you can eat anything while you sip your whisky. Order pizza or Uber Eats right to the door, bring takeout or pack your own picnic. watsonstoronto.com

3. L A B O RA We’ve noticed vermouth making a push to break out of the supporting role and into the spotlight. If you’ve yet to give the fortified wine a try, look no further than Spanish tapas bar Labora. The King West spot offers more variations than you’ll find in the liquor store and even has a few on tap. labora.to

2. KOI-KOI This pint-sized Japanese snack bar in Kensington Market has over a dozen different sake and shochu varieties on the menu – including both hot and cold options. For those new to the world of Japanese rice wine, a selection

of cocktails like sake sangria and the eponymous Koi Koi, made with sake, cucumber, lemon and gin, round out their drink offerings. While you’re there be sure to order the crunchy soy wings, beef tartare and a few other snacks to pair with your sake. koikoibar.com

4. M A DRINA In keeping with the ginebra y tonica craze, Catalan tapas spot Madrina features gin prominently. Four iterations of a G&T each see a different brand and flavour combination, while creative cocktails and even a gin-based take on a whisky sour make their way onto the menu. madrinatapas.com

Photography: Labora by Kayla Rocca; ReposadoPhotography:

by Joe Fuda

SURPASSING SALOONS

From gin joints to tequilerias, these select spots specialize in serving only the best of the strong stuff.

5. REP O SA DO BAR One of the most extensive tequila collections in the city can be found at this hole-in-the-wall bar on Ossington.

Most places offer mixto (up to 49 per cent mix) tequila, but Reposado doesn’t mess around. They only serve 100 per cent blue agave tequila. Plus, there’s a great back patio. reposadobar.com

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BAKED GREATS

These sweet-pastry producers have found a niche – from baklava to taiyaki – and excel above others.

1. TA IYAK I NYC Taiyaki NYC combines taiyaki – the classic fish-shaped pastry from Japan – with ice cream to create a dessert that is the very definition of Instagrammable.

You can build your own ice cream by choosing a base, ice cream, syrup

and toppings. Ice cream flavours include black sesame, red bean and matcha (imported from Japan). Taiyaki traditionalists can order the pastry on its own with a red bean or custard filling.

Matcha-infused lattes and frappés are also available. taiyakinyc.com

3. V ENEZ IA BA K E RY Since opening in 1979, this familyowned bakery on Ossington has been a mainstay in our pastry scene. Owners João and Maria Caetano specialize in pastéis de natas or Portuguese custard tarts, which are made using egg yolks, cream and sugar, topped with a layer of cinnamon. veneziabakery.ca

4. PÂT IS S ERIE R OYAL E

2. H O NG KON G I SL A ND BA K E RY One of Chinatown’s local favourites, Hong Kong Island Bakery is known for their variety of cheap, high-quality baked goods. Their pineapple buns, known as bō luó bāo, are particularly noteworthy:

with soft, chewy insides and crispy yellow topping, this popular Hong Kong treat contains no actual pineapple but is named after the texture on the top of the bun. You can choose from a variety of fillings, like red-bean paste or coconut. @hongkongislandbakery

Mounzer Jamous’s bakery has a 20-yearplus reputation for its Lebanese and Syrian-style sweets. Baked daily with Canadian flour, clarified butter and Californian nuts, and infused with rose or orange blossom water, the baklava here never disappoints. Assorted boxes make deciding easy. patisserieroyale.com

5. FL EU R DU JO U R This French-themed bake shop is the perfect spot for your morning coffee break. Both the minimal decor and the friendly atmosphere are comforting, as are the pastries. We recommend a French favourite called pain au raisin, also known as a snail pastry (for it’s spiral-shaped appearance). fleurdujour.ca

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1. L IT TLE IN DIA AND G E RRARD E AST TOUR There is no shortage of gourmet options at this food tour company, founded in 2010. However, if we had to direct you to one scarfing safari, it would have to be their Gerrard East and Little India

expedition. The three-hour tour visits 20 venues, including stops for Pakistani kabobs and South Indian dosas while learning about the explosion of this culinary district. Plus, it features an appointment with a cheesemonger. $99, culinaryadventureco.com

3. U R BA N WHIS K EY T RA IL Toronto Food Tours’ Urban Whiskey Trail shines a downtown light on the Prohibition era, visiting some of the city’s best for a dram while exploring distilling’s history and technology. The four-hour whiskey wander kicks off at Char No.5. $149, tofoodtours.com

2. BE ER MAK E S H I STORY BET TER Yes, beer makes everything better, but we’re not just talking about a tipsy history lesson. Intrepid Urban Adventures’ excursion arms attendees with a hop-head guide to enlighten you

about Toronto’s beer backstory, weaving through historical pubs and tasting rooms. If you want to line your belly, you can tack on Savour Toronto’s Kensington Market Food and Culture tour, which finishes in time for this tour. $80, urbanadventures.com

4. DES S ERTS A N D C U LT U R E TO U R This Queen West and Kensington crawl takes a sugary stroll around some of Toronto’s best confectioners. In addition to tasting waffles, gelato, gourmet popcorn and macarons, your local guide will also give you a Cliff Notes guide to the treats. $55, savourtoronto.com

Photography: Buns by Dapperland; Pain byPhotography: Nickola Che

GUIDED GLUTTONY

Get an expert to inform your ingestion: these are the best options for food-and-drink tours in Toronto.

5. SAK E A TO Z A sake saunter is a great way to learn about the Japanese beverage without having to leave the city. New World Wine Tours hosts a Sake A to Z jaunt around the Distillery District, visiting spots like Boku Noodle to get sake’s origin story.

Traditional snacks complement the sake seminar. $80, newworldwinetours.com

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SALTED CARAMEL CRUNCH: While it may not be traditional, this is the favourite at Mary’s for its seesaw of sweet and salty notes.

CARAMEL PUMPKIN SPICE: This one is almost too pretty to eat.

Bite into the little pearls for pops of spice and pumpkin.

STRAWBERRY CRUNCH: A simple chocolate bonbon is the base for this brigadeiro, which is adorned with strawberryinfused pearls.

PISTACHIO: One of our favourites at Mary’s shop is this creamy milk chocolate brigadeiro that is crusted with clusters of pistachio pieces.

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PASSION FRUIT: A splash of tropical flavour hits your mouth when you bite into these bonbons, topped with thin slivers of white chocolate shavings.

MEXICAN SPICE: For some zing to brighten your chocolate, try the Mexican spice, featuring nutmeg and smoked paprika as lighthanded add-ons.

Mary’s Brigadeiros 1912 Danforth Ave.

RASPBERRY: Dried raspberry orbs bring a sweet and tart note to the bitter background of dark chocolate.

Photography:

We’re in love with these ornately crafted sweets ($2.50 a piece) at Mary’s Brigadeiros.

They’re colourfully decorated and made from singleorigin cocoa beans.

Taste what you’ve been missing Traditional southern flavors with a modern twist.

The freshest dishes served the way they are intended—farm-to-table. Food is more than just eating. It’s supporting local producers. It’s preserving a way of life. This is what good food can do.

BetterInTheBluegrass.com

“The Angel’s Share” is bourbon that evaporates from the barrel.

When you visit, Breathe deep

KentuckyTourism.com